


It was only a bet

by VolsungartheMighty



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe-No Supernatural, Bet’s, Date's, First Dates, First Kisses, Homophobia, Insecure Liam, Liam is an artist, M/M, Mentions of attempted rape, Mentions of past abuse, Neighbours, References to Tarantino Films, Theo is a Football Player, There is an attempt at smut in this
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-20
Updated: 2018-11-20
Packaged: 2019-08-26 18:00:30
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 37,389
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16686418
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/VolsungartheMighty/pseuds/VolsungartheMighty
Summary: When Theo Raeken, captain of the college football team, loses a bet to one of his team mates, he is forced to start a fake relationship with Liam Dunbar, all around nerd and Theo’s neighbour, who constantly complains about the noise.Theo isn’t expecting his feelings to become involved, yet they do, but before he can act on them, the worst happens – Liam finds out about the bet.





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There's... a lot of people I want to thank for helping with this.  
> First, I want to thank my lovely Beta's, Sofia and James. You two have been an amazing help with this, especially James when it came to editing. I know I've been a bit of a pain when it comes to that, so sorry for that. But this would not be what it is without your help.  
> Secondly, i would like to thank everyone who has helped keep me going with this. Dana, Robin, Gabe and Tara, you all deserve a million thanks and more. I probably would not have finished this if you had not keep hounding me with all the amazing positivity you guys did.  
> Last, but certainly not least, I have to thank Tara the most. She has made some...truly amazing artwork for this, and has gone above and beyond what i ever expected to get out of this. She is a truly amazing artist, and an even better friend, and she deserves just as much praise for this.  
> Thank you again everyone for helping with this in one way or another. And thank you to you readers in advance for reading this too.

" alt="Chapter 1" />

Liam groaned in frustration, burying his face in his book. Something hit the wall again, the loud music blaring through the thin plaster and invading his own privacy only seeming to rile him up even more.

Every week this happened, and every week without fail, Theo-Fucking-Raeken held yet another party, heedless of the concerns of his neighbours. This week, he and his buddies seemed insistent on having someone, or something, break through the wall, and Liam was having none of it. He’d be fine if it was just the music, he could drown that out with his headphones, maybe even play a couple hours of video games with the volume blaring, but he was  _ not _ going to sit around and let a hole appear in his wall.

He threw his book down on the couch, adjusting his glasses and slipping on some shoes, before making his way out of his apartment and down the short hallway to his neighbour’s door. He rapped his knuckles on the door, and when that elicited no response, he banged his fist against the wood, louder than before, enough so that it could be heard over the music.

The music cut off, and the door flung open, revealing his neighbour, source of the annoyance, but also his long-time crush, Theo-Fucking-Raeken.

“Raeken,” Liam managed to grit out, feeling, as usual, inadequate in the presence of the jock.

“Dunbar, just on time,” Raeken laughed out, a cheery look on his face. “Come to complain again, I see.”

“Yeah, that would be about right,” Liam managed to get out. There were a few hoots and jeers from the crowded confines of the apartment behind Raeken. Liam watched as someone threw a ball across the room. There were a few shouts, before the ball slammed into the wall, followed by one of the football players seconds later. “The music I can stand, but can you  _ please _ stop trying to throw your buddies through my wall.”

The jock, in all his shirtless glory, with a snapback on backwards, leaned against the door frame casually, an eyebrow arched in curiosity. “And what are you gonna do if I don’t? Call the cops?”

Liam simply smirked. “I could. But, if I’m right about the leasing agreement, because I’m pretty sure I am, there is a limit to the amount of people you can have in your apartment at any one time.” Liam could only smile as Raeken’s face fell. “The limit was… twenty-five people, including yourself.” Liam stood on the tips of his toes, looking over Raeken’s shoulder to do a quick head count. “It seems like you’ve got at  _ least _ forty people in there. Now, I  _ could _ call the cops, who will break up the party and inform the landlord that you’re over capacity, which will also get you kicked out,  _ or _ you could stop throwing your friends against my wall, and I’ll do nothing.”

Raeken scowled, but nodded his head, turning and closing the door with a snap. He let out a barked order to  _ “stop throwing people against that asshole’s wall” _ , before the music was blaring again. Liam went back to his own apartment, picking up the book he’d been reading.

And if the music wasn’t blaring quite as much as it had before, who was he to complain.

***

“Okay, Raeken, it’s time for a bet,” Josh said, pulling Theo from his seat on the couch and over to the table where a round of Beer Pong had been set up. “You know the rules. Loser has to do whatever the winner wants.”

Theo groaned, knowing that this wasn’t going to end well. His asshole of a neighbour had soured the mood of the party, yet again, and he wasn’t in the right headspace for a game of beer pong. But his teammates wouldn’t listen to him, so he went ahead anyway.

Twenty minutes passed in silence between the two jocks, the sounds of the party fading into the background. Each one bouncing the ping pong ball on the table, hoping it would land in a cup. By now, Theo was drunk enough that most of his shots went astray, only landing the ball in the cups once or twice. Josh, meanwhile, seemed to have become a marksman, managing to land the ball in the cups almost every time.

Theo let out a sigh as he downed the final cup of beer, grimacing slightly at the taste. He’d never been a fan of beer, but it was cheap, and everyone else seemed to enjoy it, so he kept on drinking. The drink finished, he crinkled up the cheap plastic cup and threw it over his shoulder, not caring where it landed. He only knew that he’d get to cleaning it up sometime tomorrow.

“So, Josh. What’s my punishment?” Theo slurred out, stumbling slightly as he made his way around the table, swinging his arm around his neck.

Josh shrugged his shoulders, a smirk gracing his lips. “Oh no. Your not getting off that easy. Let me revel in my glory for a little bit.”

Theo merely nodded, eyes suddenly droopy, the exhaustion hitting him like a brick to the face. He checked the time on his phone, and was slightly shocked to find that it was two in the morning.

A flash of guilt went through him, about possibly keeping Dunbar up because of the party. But it was quickly shot down by the anger and annoyance Theo harboured towards his neighbour. Why couldn’t the asshole just see they were having some fun?

Despite that, he manoeuvred his way through the apartment, turning off the stereo, eliciting a number of groans from the crowd.

“Sorry guys,” Theo slurred out, stumbling a bit, a hand shooting out and grabbing the stereo for support. “The boys and I have practice in a few hours, and we need some sleep. We need all the practice we can get before the big game on Sunday.”

A cheer erupted from the crowd at the reminder of the big game, before people started filing out the door. Once the last person was out, Theo stumbled his way to his room, collapsing on the bed, out cold in moments.

When he woke up in the morning, he had a splitting headache, and had slept through three of his alarms. With a groan, he got out of bed, managed to take a shower, washing his body of any alcohol and sweat left over from the party. He slipped into some workout clothes and took something for his hangover, before he was gone. All in all, he was out the door in record time, heading to his football practice.

Practice was, as expected, gruelling work. It always was after a night of partying, but even more so when he had had very little sleep, and not much to eat since lunchtime the day before.

So, when Josh sat next to him while they were having a break, a broad smile on his face, Theo really wasn’t in the mood.

“I know what you’re going to be doing for that bet you lost,” Josh said in way of greeting, slinging his arm around Theo’s shoulder, spare hand coming up to rub Theo’s chest. “You’re going to put this hot bod of yours to good use.”

Theo frowned, leaning away and batting Josh’s groping hand off of him. “What do you mean?”

“Look over there,” Josh said instead, pointing over to the bleachers.

Theo let his eyes follow Josh’s finger and was surprised when he saw a familiar face amongst the smattering of students sitting on the bleachers. A familiar face with blue eyes, framed by thin glasses and topped with a mop of long, light brown hair. Theo was legitimately surprised to find Dunbar at practice, even if he seemed to be animatedly chatting with a few friends, turning to look at a book in his lap every now and again, scribbling something inside, before turning back to his friends.

“You know Dunbar, of course. But the three of them are always here on a Saturday, watching us practice,” Josh said. Theo sent him a glare, and he held up his hands in surrender. “Hey, the only problem I have with it is that Ethan gets annoyed at the looks they give us. And even then, the sex after practice is always so much better.”

“Okay, so what about them then?” Theo asked, crossing his arms over his chest.

“Well, you’re going to date him,” Josh said simply, leaning back.

“What?” Theo asked, jumping up from his seat. He couldn’t believe what he’d just heard.

“I know, I know, you don’t like the dude,” Josh said, hands held up in a placating gesture. “But man, if he complains about another party, I’m gonna fucking scream.”

“So… you want me to date him, only so he will stop complaining?” Theo asked lightly, the gears turning in his mind.

“That,” Josh said in agreement, nodding his head. “But are you forgetting something else?”

“And what’s that?” Theo asked, a sense of unease settling over him.

Josh sighed, shaking his head.

“Your fucking crush on him dude,” Josh said, throwing his hands up in exasperation. “I know I’m not the only one who thinks you’re annoying when it comes to him.”

“Just because I think he’s cute doesn’t mean I want to date him,” Theo said with a sigh. “Especially after the stunt he pulled last night, threatening to call the cops like that.”

“Okay, okay. I see what you mean. But that’s my bet for you,” Josh said, standing from his seat. He gave Theo a fond smile. “You know you don’t have to do it, right?”

“I know that,” Theo said with a sigh, finally moving from the spot he’d been rooted to. “I’ll ask him after practice, alright.”

He couldn’t help but want to punch the smile off of Josh’s face.

***

Liam sat on the bleachers with Mason and Corey, grumbling under his breath. He didn’t  _ want _ to be here. He wanted to be inside his apartment where it was nice and warm, not out here in the freezing cold. Though the sun was out, it did little to warm the air around them. But, despite the cold, Mason and Corey just  _ had  _ to ogle the football team, and just  _ had _ to drag Liam along with them. And the cold wasn’t good for him either. His knee had been stiff and unyielding when he’d woken up, and he’d walked with a limp all morning

Admittedly, he wasn’t complaining about the sight. A group of big, sweaty, muscular guys wearing nothing but workout shorts and singlets was certainly a sight to see. And despite it being so cold, he had remembered to bring his sketchbook, practicing his work by attempting to draw the football players.

It just… wasn’t going as well as he had hoped.

“Come on Liam,” Mason said, nudging him insistently in the side, sending his hand flying across the page, before he squirmed out of his friend’s reach. “What’s not to love about this?”

“Aside from freezing our asses off and having insults thrown our way?” Liam asked sarcastically. He sent a glare Masons way as he flipped to a fresh page, beginning a new sketch. Mason frowned at him, and he just sighed. “Sorry, didn’t get much sleep last night is all.”

“That asshole Raeken again?” Corey asked. He held a bag of chips in his hand, casually munching on them as he spoke. “What did he do this time?”

Liam just shook his head in frustration. “His friends just kept throwing a football around last night. It kept bouncing off the wall, and they kept slamming into the wall as they chased it. I was afraid that they’d actually put a hole in the wall, so I went over and complained. Told him to stop throwing things at my wall or I’ll call the cops. Mentioned something about the fact that having forty people in his apartment was a fire hazard, and told him he could be evicted if the cops were called in.”

“Oh, nice,” Mason and Corey said in unison.

“Yeah, but that was at about eleven. His party didn’t stop until about two, I think. By that time I was hyped up on so much coffee that I couldn’t sleep for another hour or two.”

“Dude, you must be a fucking zombie right now,” Mason said with a whistle, shaking his head. “I’m surprised you’re even drawing at the moment.” Mason leaned over, getting a good look of the fresh page as Liam continued to sketch the football players. “And you’re still amazing.” There was a slight pause before Mason asked curiously, “Are you still up for movie night tonight?”

“Yeah, I should be up for movie night,” Liam said, as he thought it over for a moment, his mind running a little slower than usual due to the lack of sleep. “We normally start at about seven, right?”

“Yeah, you know we do,” Corey said, passing the bag of chips to him in offer.

Liam shook his head, before he spoke, pulling out his phone as he did so. “I’ll see what Hayden says, and I’ll see if we can start a little earlier. Maybe… five thirty?”

Mason and Corey nodded in understanding as Liam sent off a text to Hayden, telling her of their plans for the night.

A shadow fell over Liam as he finished sending the text, and he looked up, surprised to find Raeken standing in front of him, with a nervous look on his face.

_ Wait, why is he nervous? _ Liam thought, as he locked his phone, but kept it in his hand. He hastily closed his sketchbook, but noticed Raeken’s eyes darting up from the page. “Uh, hey there, Raeken. How can I help you?”

Raeken reached a hand up, scratching the back of his head nervously before he seemed to catch himself, lowering his arm before he asked, “Uh, hey, Du-, I mean, Liam. I was wondering. Would you, uh… would you like to go on a date? With me?”

Liam sat there in shock because, first off, his crush was asking him on a date. And secondly, Raeken, source of his current annoyance and lack of sleep, was asking him on a  _ fucking _ date.

“Uh…” Liam said, mouth hanging open slightly in shock. He looked over to Mason and Corey, surprised to find they were both as shocked as he was.  _ Thanks for the help guys, _ he thought, turning back to Raeken. “Sure?” he cringed slightly, cause why the  _ fuck _ did that come out as a question? “I mean, sure, of course, uh… Theo.” He pulled his phone out of his pocket, unlocking it and handing it to Theo. “You, uh… wanna give me your number, and we can organise a time and place?”

He nodded, taking Liam’s phone and quickly typing in his number, before sending off a text to himself. Liam heard Theo’s phone buzzing loudly in his pocket as it was received. He handed the phone back, before saying, “I’ll message you later and organise a time when you’re free, yeah?”

“Sounds like a plan,” Liam said with a smile.

Theo smiled back, nodding hesitantly before he backed down the stairs to the bleachers, finally turning around at the bottom and running back to the team and into the lockers.

Once Theo was safely out of earshot, Mason turned on him, a worried expression on his face. “Dude, what the fuck?”

Corey slapped him on the arm, and he just shot his boyfriend a warning glare, before turning back to Liam. “Seriously dude, what gives? Here you are, complaining that his friends were trying to bust a hole in the wall, and you’re  _ agreeing _ to go on a date with him?”

Liam just shrugged his shoulders. Before he could reply, Corey spoke up. “Need I remind you, Mase. You thought I was some shady drug dealer before Liam introduced us. And from what I’ve gathered, before they used to date, Liam and Hayden were at each other’s throats because of some incident in middle school. Just because he’s an asshole now, doesn’t mean he’s always going to be one. Let Liam have some fun.”

Mason sighed, looking down at his hands. But he remained silent, rather than voicing his concerns

“Thanks, Corey,” Liam said, standing and stretching. He yawned as he did, before checking his phone for the time. “It’s only twelve thirty. You wanna go and get lunch?”

“Sure,” Corey said. “Come on Mase. Time for lunch.”

It was a short walk to a small café down the street they liked going to, if partly because Hayden worked there. The sign over the door read  _ Moonlight Cafe _ , and the bell over the door rang as they entered.

“Hey boys, how’s it going?” Hayden asked as they entered, standing behind the counter. The store was relatively empty, with only one table occupied near the back.

“Nothing much,” Liam said, at the same time Corey said, “Someone asked Liam on a date.”

Hayden squealed, jumping on the spot and clapping her hands excitedly. “That’s so great. For that, you get a free drink.”

“But I didn’t do anything,” Liam said awkwardly as Mason and Corey pushed him towards the counter, but he looked up at the menu, assessing what he felt like drinking. “Could I get a caramel frappe?”

Hayden nodded, putting in the order. When Liam went to pay, she shook her head. “It’s for free, remember?”

“I don’t want you getting in trouble,” Liam said, holding out the money to her.

“It’s fine Liam. This one’s on me,” is all she said.

Liam ordered a plate of eggs to go with his drink, before Mason and Corey placed their orders. Mason ordered a burger with some chips and a coffee, while Corey ordered a plate of pancakes with a hot chocolate. Once they had finished ordering their food, they found a booth off to the side where they could sit. A few moments later Hayden was coming over to their table, a tray laden with their drinks. She served them out to each of them, before sitting in the free seat next to Liam, wrapping an arm around his shoulders and shaking him.

“So, tell me everything,” she said, sitting back. “Who is he? What’s he like? Is he hot?”

“He’s insanely hot,” Corey said immediately. Mason slapped him on the shoulder, a look of mock horror on his face. Corey just smiled before he took another bite of his food.

“He’s hot,” Liam said with a laugh. “Insanely hot. And, uh…”

“He’s an asshole,” Mason said, jumping in. Hayden cocked her head to the side and Liam just sighed as Mason charged ahead. “He’s Liam’s neighbour. You know? Theo Raeken, captain of the football team? Ring any bells?”

“That asshole? I didn’t know he was gay,” Hayden said, a shocked look to her face. “Did he really ask you out?”

She turned to Liam, eyebrow raised and a look on her face that told Liam he wasn’t getting out of answering the question.

“Yeah, he did,” Liam said with a nod. “Which was a surprise, really. Not the whole dating guys thing, I knew about that. I just never thought he’d be interested in me.”

“Wait, you knew he was gay?” Mason asked. “You never told me that.”

“He’s not gay,” Liam said with a laugh. “He’s bi. Trust me, I’ve heard him having sex. He goes for both.”

“Wait, I just realised,” Hayden said, perking up suddenly, a feral glint to her eye. “Is this the same Theo we caught you doing sketches of because, and I quote, ‘he had good bone structure?’”

Liam groaned, banging his head against the table, and that was all the confirmation that they needed, the three of them bursting into laughter as Liam just shook his head against the cracked linoleum.

A bell rang from over near the counter, and Hayden stood, walking over to the source of the noise. She returned back moments later, her arms full of plates of food.

“Here you go boys, your lunch is ready,” she said, handing each of them their plates.

Mason and Corey were quick to dig into their food, while Liam played with his for a bit.

“So… how was your date with Tracey last night?” Liam asked, taking a bite of eggs.

“Trying to change the subject? Really, Liam?” Hayden asked, crossing her arms. She chuckled, shaking her head softly. “It went really well, actually. We had such a romantic night, going out for dinner, and then we went bowling afterwards. It was really nice.”

“That’s good. That’s really good,” Liam said, nodding. He yawned widely, before taking a bite of bacon.

“So, what are you doing for this date of yours?” Hayden asked. She chuckled when Liam groaned. “You knew I was going to ask.”

Liam was saved from answering as a large crowd of people entered the cafe, a line forming quickly. Sighing, she stood from her seat, but Corey caught her wrist.

“Before anyone forgets Hayden, we’ve changed when we’re meeting up tonight to five thirty, in case you haven’t seen Liam’s message,” he said. “Liam’s too dead on his feet from the noise last night, so we thought it would be better to start earlier. Is that cool with you?”

“Yeah, everything should be fine. I should have most of the cleaning done by the time we close, so all I’ll have to do is balance the tills. Shouldn’t be too hard to get to Liam’s on time,” she said with a smile, before running off to the counter and serving the line of customers that had appeared.

They finished their meals, chatting idly about their classes and any plans they had in the near future. Mason’s parents were coming over for a week, so Mason and Corey were staying at their apartment while they entertained them. Liam, meanwhile, had nothing significant planned. He figured he would just go back to Beacon Hills and visit his parents and baby brother, since he had nothing else to do.

Once their meals were finished, they all stood, waving goodbye to Hayden, who was still busy with orders. They stepped outside, all three of them wincing at the bright light and the light breeze that cut through their clothes.

Liam yawned yet again, stretching as he did so, more tired than he usually was after one of Theo’s parties. He shook his head, turning to Mason and Corey. “You two go ahead, I’m gonna head home and try and take a nap before tonight.”

“Are you sure?” Mason asked, but was answered by yet another yawn from Liam, who nodded through it.

“Yeah, I’m sure,” Liam said, waving them off. “Go see a movie or something. I’ll see you later, okay?”

Mason and Corey nodded in agreement, before walking off, Liam walking in the opposite direction towards his apartment.


	2. Chapter 2

" alt="Chapter 2" />

Theo stood in front of the door to Liam’s apartment, hand held in front of him as if to knock on the door. He didn’t know why he was hesitating. It wasn’t like he was some teenager, embarrassed to ask his crush out on a date or anything. He’d already asked Liam out on a date, and he’d said yes. But why was he so… hesitant to ask Liam anything else?

Before he could stop himself, he was knocking on the hardwood of the door, announcing his presence to his neighbour. There was a shout of “I’m coming Mason”, before the door was thrown open.

Liam stood in the doorway wearing an oversized, light blue sweater, the bottom hem reaching halfway down to his knees, the arms so long they completely covered his hands. Theo was quick to notice that Liam wore nothing underneath the sweater, the collar dipping low over his chest to reveal bare flesh and a tantalising glimpse of chest hair, and that he wore no pants or shorts.

Liam stretched, his arms over his head, the long jumper riding up his legs. There was a tantalising glimpse of Liam’s boxers, and a cloth covered bulge, before Liam lowered his arms. He still had his eyes closed as he yawned again, saying, “Hey Mase, you’re here a little…” He opened his eyes, suddenly noticing that it was Theo at the door. “You’re not Mason.”

Theo chuckled as Liam’s face suddenly turned red, as if realising that he was almost nude in front of Theo. “Yeah, I’m not Mason. I, uh… I wanted to talk to you, about this date. I figured that, since we’re neighbours, there’s no point in messaging you.” He suddenly realised that Liam looked tired, heavy bags under his eyes, as the other man yawned again. “Sorry, did I wake you up?”

“Yeah, you did,” Liam said with a tired smile, moving to the side and motioning Theo in. “It’s okay, though. It’s like… what? Five o’clock? Mason and the others will be here in a half an hour anyway, so it’s good that you woke me up.”

Theo entered the small apartment, looking around the darkened living room. A large TV sat against one wall, turned on with the volume down low, a blanket thrown across the couch where Liam must have been sleeping. A coffee table sat between the couch and TV, laden with books and remotes. The walls were covered in framed pieces of artwork, and if Theo hadn’t known any better, he would have thought Liam had bought them. But based on the glimpse of Liam’s sketchbook he’d seen earlier in the day, he had a feeling they were Liam’s own work.

“Sit anywhere you like,” Liam said as he strolled through the living room to a door near the back of the apartment, flicking on the lights as he did, bathing the room in light. “I’ll just, uh… get some pants on.”

Theo chuckled again, shaking his head as he sat down on one of the armchairs, looking over some of the book titles.  _ The Eye of the World, The Final Empire, Eragon _ and  _ The Shadow of What was Lost _ were the ones he could see, and he couldn’t help himself as he picked one up, reading the blurb on the back.

It was  _ The Shadow of What was Lost _ , and it seemed like an interesting book, one that was full of magic and monsters, ancient mysteries and intrigue. He flicked it open to the first page, giving it a quick read. He was so absorbed in reading it that he didn’t notice when Liam walked back in, walking over to the kitchen and putting the kettle on to boil.

A tap on his shoulder brought his attention away from the book, and he looked up, finding Liam standing next to him, smiling slightly.

“Sorry, I… I did call your name, but you didn’t seem to be able to hear me,” Liam said, looking down at the book. “Are you liking what you’re reading?”

Theo nodded, a little hesitantly. He wasn’t a big fan of reading, but he was hooked into this already, and he hadn’t even finished the first chapter. “Yeah, I am actually,” he said, closing the book slowly.

“You can borrow it if you want,” Liam said with a soft smile, padding his way back over to the kitchen when the kettle started whistling on the stove. “Would you like a drink?”

“Uh, sure. Do you have any Coke?” Theo asked, following Liam into the kitchen, leaning against the counter, book still in hand. “But… are you sure I can borrow this?”

“Of course, you can borrow it,” Liam said. He poured the boiled water into the mug, before grabbing milk and a can for Theo. He passed the can to Theo, adding milk to his mug, before putting it back in the fridge. “I’ve read it like… three times now. I just don’t have the space for it, that’s why it was on the coffee table. Plus, I’ve done all the art for it that I’ve wanted to.” He pointed to one framed painting, of a castle sitting atop a hill, the city below it aflame. “That’s from the book, near the end of it.”

“Spoilers,” Theo gasped with mock horror, hand held over his heart, and Liam laughed.

“No, not really,” he said, shaking his head. “It’s revealed pretty early on that it  _ will _ happen, so… yeah. Sorry?”

Theo nodded in acknowledgement, opening the can and taking a long gulp of the cold beverage. Silence fell between the two of them, Theo leaning against one side of the counter, Liam leaning against the other. Theo looked at Liam once again, noticing that the bags beneath his eyes weren’t as heavy now, as they had been when he had asked Liam out. He seemed a little more… energetic, sipping at his coffee.

Of course, he would be tired, after the party Theo had held last night. But he couldn’t find it in himself to feel sorry for the man standing in front of him, not after the way Liam had threatened Theo. Despite those thoughts, he couldn’t help but feel a little guilty for asking him out.

“So, I overheard you talking to… Mason and Corey, was it? Before I asked you out,” Theo said slowly, and he picked up speed as Liam started nodding along. “What exactly is it that you guys are doing tonight? Is it to play that… Fortnite everyone’s been talking about lately?”

Liam let out a bark of a laugh, shaking his head. “Nope, not at all,” he said, smiling broadly. “We don’t play that shit. No, it’s just… movie night, or video games that aren’t Fortnite. Sometimes we might even go out for dinner and see a movie at the cinemas or something.”

“Huh,” Theo said, head cocked to the side. “How have I never heard you guys before? This sounds like a weekly thing.”

Liam nodded as he took a sip from his mug. “That would be because it is. And we don’t need the movie up loud to hear it, so you probably don’t hear us because of that. Though, when it comes to video games… I’m surprised to hear that you haven’t heard us before.”

“Yeah, I’ve never heard anything from your apartment, except… well,” Theo shrugged, taking another sip of his Coke.

“Yeah, look I’m… really sorry about last night. I didn’t mean to threaten you with being evicted last night,” Liam said, looking at Theo sincerely. “I just… wasn’t having that great a day.”

Theo was a little shocked at the apology, but he nodded his head, saying, “It’s okay. I… well, I’m sorry that you’ve had to put up with me on Fridays like that.” And Theo was surprised to find that he actually  _ meant _ it. There was a slight pause before Theo said, “So… why exactly were you at practice today? I’ve seen you there before, but I never pinned you as the type to enjoy sports.”

Liam’s smile dropped. “I do enjoy sports actually,” Liam said, leaning against the counter. “I… used to play lacrosse in high school during junior year. Was even in the running to be team captain.”

“I’m guessing something happened and you couldn’t play anymore?” Theo asked tentatively, worried he’d gone into sensitive territory.

“Yeah,” Liam said with a nod. “We had tryouts for positions during the summer, to replace the students who had graduated. I was tackled by a particularly… rough student and went flying and landed badly. Shattered my knee and broke my shin. Killed any hopes of playing sport ever again.”

“That sounds terrible,” Theo said, and was about to say something else before he was interrupted by a knock on the door.

Liam perked up immediately, walking over to the door. Now that Liam had told him about the accident, he noticed the shorter male had a distinct limp, favouring his left leg over his right. But he seemed to be able to hide it well, since Theo had never once noticed it in the three years he’d known Liam.

The door opened, and in came Mason and Corey, along with  a dark-haired girl he'd never met before,who seemed to be the same age as them. All three of them stopped in their tracks as they noticed Theo leaning against the counter, while Liam just walked back to his side, picking up his mug of coffee and taking a sip. He grimaced in disgust, turning around and upending the mug into the sink, pouring out the rest of the contents with a muttered, “Too cold.”

Theo stood there awkwardly, his eyes travelling from one person to the next, before he said “I’ll just be going then, shall I?”

Liam turned to him with a frown. “You’re always free to join if you want.”

The offer took Theo by surprise, and it seemed like the others hadn’t been expecting it either, for they stood there, just as surprised as Theo was.

It was Mason that spoke up, saying, “Is now really the right time? We’ve gotta watch the last few episodes of Shadowhunters, remember? If he hasn’t seen it so far, it’s a little late for him to join.”

It stung, hearing that. Even if it wasn’t stated, there was something in Mason’s eyes that told Theo he wasn’t wanted here, even if they were to start a new series. He shook his head, smiling at Liam, ignoring the dirty look Mason sent his way. “Mason’s right. I probably wouldn’t understand what’s happening. It’s better that I sit this one out.”

“Oh, okay then,” Liam said, and Theo could tell he was slightly crestfallen.  _ Did he want me to say yes? _ Theo thought. “I’ll uh… I’ll let you out, so we can get started on this then.”

Theo nodded, following Liam to the door to the apartment, book held firmly at his side. Liam opened the door, stepping to the side so he could let Theo out, a soft, almost heartfelt smile on his face.

“Thanks for coming over Theo, it was good to talk, even if we didn’t talk about much,” Liam said, leaning against the door frame, arms crossed. Theo couldn’t help but think Liam looked so soft, hair still ruffled from sleep, glasses perched on his nose, the oversized jumper still on, covering his hands. “I hope you enjoy the book as much as I did. Maybe now I’ll have someone to talk to about it.”

“Yeah, I’ll get into it tonight,” Theo said with a smile, holding the book up, and for some reason he knew he wasn’t lying. “Thanks for letting me borrow it. I’ll see you around then, I suppose.”

Liam went to close the door as Theo turned towards his apartment, but poked his head out, calling out to him. “Hey, I just realised, we never talked about that date you asked me on.”

Theo stopped in his tracks, walking back to Liam, smiling sheepishly. “Yeah, I was gonna ask you what you wanted to do, and when.”

“Well, you’ve got the game on tomorrow, and I’ve got work, so that’s out of the question,” Liam said, scratching his chin in thought. “I’ve got classes all day Monday and Tuesday, but I’m free all afternoon on Wednesday. Is then good for you?”

“Yeah, that should be fine,” Theo said with a smile. “I’ll let you get to your friends. I’ll text you about places to go by Tuesday night, okay?”

“Okay,” Liam said, smiling again. “I’ll see you around Theo.”

“Yeah. See you Liam,” Theo said, nodding as Liam closed the door.

***

The moment the door shut, Mason was on him, hissing, “What on earth was he doing here?”

Liam stumbled, his back hitting the door as Mason marched forward, his arms braced in surrender. “Hey, he was only asking me about that date. We were sorting out details before you got here.”

Mason relaxed a little, but he stilled seemed like he was a little annoyed. “Okay. That’s… okay,” he said, backing off a little.

Corey gave Mason a light frown, turning to Liam and smiling weakly. “Sorry about that. He got started on why you shouldn’t date Theo and… he clearly still had it in his system.”

Liam looked at Mason, an eyebrow arched in silent question, before he shook his head, not bothering to let Mason explain himself. “I’m a grown ass man Mase, I can make my own decisions. And besides, it’s only one date. If it goes well, there might be more. If not, nothing needs to happen.”

Mason nodded, but Liam noticed that he didn’t actually apologise. He still thought he was in the right, but Liam knew he would convince him otherwise soon. He always did, in the end.

“So, I already ordered some pizza for us,” Hayden said, placing a bag of drinks down on the kitchen counter Liam hadn’t realised she had. Corey was carrying a similar bag, only it had chips and chocolate bars in it instead. “Do we really have to watch this ‘Shadowhunters’? It sounds boring.”

Liam shook his head, shooting a glare at Mason. “No we don’t. Mason was just being an asshole, cause he didn’t want Theo around.”

“But we don’t know him,” Mason said, hands flailing. “We don’t even know if we have anything in common.”

Liam sighed, sitting down on the couch and flicking the TV over to his PlayStation, using the controller to pull up Netflix. “And tonight would have been a perfect night to actually get to know him, but because you’re being an asshole, we can’t do that now.”

“Liam, you know I’m only trying to be a supportive friend,” Mason said. “Especially after Brett-”

“Don’t,” Liam grit out, his jaw clenched. He didn’t look at Mason as he said, “Don’t say his name.”

There was a slight pause, Liam glaring at the TV. It seemed like there had been an update, as he’d been logged out and had to put his details back in before he could do anything.

He heard Mason sigh as he walked over, sitting down on the couch next to him.

“Sorry, Li. You know I didn’t mean to bring him up,” Mason said, gripping Liam’s shoulder. Liam shrugged him off, and he just sighed. “You know I’m just… worried for you.”

Liam sighed, shaking his head.

“I know that Mason,” he said, still not looking at his friend. “But it’s my decision if I want to date him or not. If you don’t want him around, don’t lie about it. But please, if the date goes well and we keep going out…” He finally turned to Mason, looking at him imploringly, “At least promise me you’ll get to know him. If our conversation just now is anything to go by, we have a lot in common. You might like him.”

“I can’t promise I’ll like it,” Mason said, shaking his head. “But I will get to know him, for you.”

Liam smiled at him as Corey and Hayden joined them on the couch, a few opened bags of chips in hand, along with some drinks. Everything was handed around as Liam idly flicked through movies, sighing in frustration as he handed the controller to Hayden.

“You pick, I can’t seem to decide on what to watch,” he said. He dug his hand into a random bag of chips and bit into one. The taste of honey soy chicken spread across his tongue, and he sank back into the couch with a smile.

Hayden flicked through the selection of movies for a few more moments before landing on one.

“What about Kill Bill? We might be able to watch both if we start now,” she asked, looking between the three of them. When they all nodded in agreement, she hit play and sat back on her part of the couch, stretching out lazily and putting her feet up across Liam’s lap.

They were twenty minutes in, just as Elle Driver was walking through the hospital to kill The Bride, when a knock on the door had them jumping in surprise. Hayden quickly paused the movie, getting up and rifling through her handbag for her purse. Purse in hand, she strolled over to the door and opened it, while Liam got up and limped over to a cupboard, pulling out some plates and grabbing another bottle of soft drink.

When Hayden returned, arms laden with boxes of pizza, Mason and Corey cleared the coffee table so she could set the boxes down. Liam handed out plates, before each grabbed a few slices of pizza and sat back down, playing the movie again.

_ “I might never have liked you,” _ Elle said, as the four of them munched on their pizzas.  _ “Point of fact, I despise you. But that shouldn’t suggest I don’t respect you.” _

“Is it bad that I think she’s hot?” Hayden asked. Liam choked a little on his food, coughing loudly as he looked at her. “What? It’s just an observation. She has that femme fatale look about her.”

“Don’t let Tracey hear you say that,” Mason said. “You know better than us how she gets.”

The four of them burst into laughter, unable to stop themselves. Tracey couldn’t help but feel jealous whenever Hayden commented on how someone looked. Unless she agreed with Hayden.

“No, I don’t think it’s weird,” Liam said, once they’d calmed down. “I don’t see it myself, but I don’t blame you for thinking that either.”

Mason and Corey hummed in agreement, and they fell into a relaxed silence as they watched the movie. They watched avidly as The Bride fought her way through her enemies, fighting the Crazy 88’s by herself, and then fighting O-Ren afterwards, and winning. Hayden seemed surprised at the ending, and Liam couldn’t help but claim that they should watch the second one, to see what happened. They all agreed, taking a break to get more drinks, and make some popcorn, before they began the second one.

The rest of the night passed smoothly, the four friends passing the time as they watched The Bride exact her deadly, bloody revenge.


	3. Chapter 3

" alt="Chapter 3" />

Liam found himself getting more and more nervous the closer it got to Wednesday. Yet, not once did he hear from Theo. That was what worried him the most. Theo had asked him on the date, yet it was now Tuesday morning and he hadn’t heard from him since Saturday night.

He set down his tablet pen, staring at what he’d done so far. He was  _ trying _ to draw a knight, sword raised over his head. But one arm looked like it could be an eggplant, and the head was way too big in proportion to the rest of his body. Sighing, he saved it, closing the window to go back to it another time.

What to do? He had a couple of hours before he even needed to get ready for class, so he’d decided to do some drawing. But that wasn’t able to ease the worry that maybe Theo had realised he didn’t want to date him after all, and couldn’t be bothered actually telling Liam.

He stood, groaning as his knee cracked painfully. The cold really was making it difficult for him to walk properly, and his knee had been stiffer than usual. His limp was more pronounced as he walked through his apartment and to the kitchen, making himself a cup of coffee, while putting a wheat bag in the microwave to heat up. The microwave dinged a minute later, and he pulled the steaming bag out, limping over to the couch and falling into it, sighing as he wrapped the wheat bag around his knee. It was already feeling better as he grasped for the remote, flicking through channels, before switching over to Netflix and putting on some random movie.

He was part way through when he realised that… he didn’t know much about his neighbour. All he knew was what he had seen, and that was the cocky, arrogant captain of the football team. That, and the fact that he was bi, wasn’t much to go on when trying to figure out what might be planned for a date.

He pulled his phone out and opened up Facebook, quickly searching up Theo. There were more people by that name than he thought, but as usual, the first one was the one he needed. The general information was there for Liam, telling him he lived in Los Angeles, and went to college at UCLA. But scrolling down further, Liam was surprised to see that Theo had even listed his course, and what he was studying.

It was… a bit of a shock to Liam to see that Theo was studying marine biology. He’d never pinned the guy as the type to actually be into science, let alone marine biology. Most of his posts seemed to be related to marine conservation, saving the environment and stupid facts about fish and other marine animals.

One caught his eye, a small slab of text followed by a photo of an underwater diver swimming next to a shark. The text read  _ Scientists have found a shark in Greenland that eats polar bears and can live up to the age of 200 _ .

“Wow, that is awesome,” Liam whispered to himself, scrolling through more weird and interesting facts.

The next hour passed like that, and Liam didn’t realise how long he had been sitting there, scrolling through Theo’s Facebook, until the credits were rolling. There was even a notification from Netflix, asking him if he was still there.

He chuckled, shaking his head at the screen, before closing Netflix and sending a friend request off to Theo, before switching over to his messages. He opened up the message from Theo the other day, a short and simple  _ hi _ , from when Liam had given him his number. He typed up a few messages, deleting them almost as quickly as he had typed them, before finally settling on one and sending it.

**_Liam:_ ** _ Hey, I know you said you would sort out that date for tomorrow, but… I think I have an idea for where we could go. _

He set his phone down, getting up and limping over to the bathroom to relieve himself. By the time he got back, there were a couple of new messages from Theo.

**_Theo:_ ** _ It’s all good. _

**_Theo:_ ** _ I… haven’t been able to think of anything, to be honest _

**_Theo:_ ** _ Just name a time and place, and I’ll meet you there. _

Liam frowned at the lack of a reaction but shrugged his shoulders. He was probably in class now any way.

_ He’s not interested in you _ a familiar voice said, worming it’s way into Liam’s mind. He shivered, remembering the last time he’d heard the voice. It had been crackly, through the voice of a receiver, and Liam could still see the fierce look in his eyes through the thick glass.

_ No on would be interested in you, remember? _ The voice said. A familiar face formed in his mind, and he shook his head, trying to dispel the image. It worked, but the voice remained.

_ Only  _ I _ can love you _ the voice said, before fading into silence.

Liam shook his head, shivering slightly. It had been a while since his doubts had gotten the better of him. He looked down at the screen, the glowing words reflecting off of his glasses, before he sent off another message.

**_Liam:_ ** _ Okay, how about we meet in the Quad, at around 1ish? _

**_Theo:_ ** _ Sounds good to me. I’ll see you then _

A quick glance at the time told Liam he had an hour before class, and so he pulled himself off the couch, his limp much less pronounced than it had been earlier. He couldn’t help but look forward to what he had planned for tomorrow.

***

Theo sat uncomfortably on the metal bench, the book Liam had leant him held in is hands as he read it. It was a riveting read, one that he was surprised to have gotten into so quickly. But he also couldn’t help but be distracted today. A look at the time told Theo that Liam was meant to be here soon, for their date. He had no idea what they were going to do, but… he couldn’t help but be curious. He knew he wasn’t putting much of an effort into dating Liam, even if they still had to go on one date. But he couldn’t help but feel bad for not even thinking of something to do.

He was quite lucky when Liam had jumped in, saying he had an idea.

He was so concentrated on reading the book that he jumped when he heard his name being called, his head snapping up as he looked around wildly. He smiled slightly when he saw Liam across the Quad, limping over to him as he waved. Theo waved back, slipping his bookmark in place as he closed it.

Liam came to a stop as Theo stood, smiling warmly at him.

“Hey,” Liam said softly. “I see you’re enjoying the book.”

He motioned to the book Theo still held, and he couldn’t help but turn it in his hands nervously. Despite their rough past, Liam was being a lot kinder to him than he had anticipated, and he couldn’t help but find that he enjoyed the positive attention from Liam.

“Yeah, I am,” Theo said, chuckling lightly. “I haven’t been able to stop. It’s… gotten in the way of classes, because I just want to read more, but I can’t put it down.”

Liam motioned with his head, saying, “We can talk while we walk,” his smile having grown. He waited patiently as Theo carefully placed it in his bag, hooking the strap over his shoulder before they started walking. They headed off in the opposite direction Liam came from, talking as they did.

“So, what’s happened in the book so far?” Liam asked, limping along beside Theo. He walked slower than Theo, due to the limp, and Theo had to take shorter steps than usual so they remained side-by-side.

“Uh… they’ve just recently entered Desriel,” Theo said, thinking back to what he’d just read. “Davian has just realised the box acts like a compass, and they’ve started following it. They’d just started doing that when you showed up.”

“So things are just starting to get really interesting, it seems,” Liam said, a knowing smile on his face. “I’m glad you seem to be liking it so far.”

“I’m surprised I am,” Theo said, stopping beside Liam as they arrived at a bus stop. He looked down at the blonde, an eyebrow arched. “So… mind telling me where we are going?”

“Oh, nowhere too special,” Liam said, pausing as the bus pulled up, hopping on and paying for a ticket for the both of them. He pulled Theo to the back, sitting the both of them down in a spare seat. “I… may have stalked you on Facebook and found out you were studying marine biology. And one of your recent posts said something about wanting to see the new display at the aquarium, and that you hadn’t found the time to go and see it. So… I bought us tickets last night, so we can bypass the queues.”

Theo stared at Liam in shock. Was he really hearing this? He hadn’t been to the aquarium in months, he’d been so busy with classes, practice and games. And it had been some off-hand status he’d been meaning to delete the day he’d made it but forgotten. How far down had Liam scrolled? He shook his head of these thoughts, a smile twitching at his lips.

“You’re serious right?” Theo asked, unable to help himself. Liam nodded, that warm smile of his back on his face, and Theo couldn’t help but beam even more. “Ooh, I cant wait” he said, bouncing excitedly in his seat.

They talked a little more as the bus drove onwards, hopping off at the stop for the aquarium. The walk was slow, due to Liam’s limp, but Theo knew Liam was grateful that he didn’t speed off on him.

As Liam had said, when they got to the aquarium, they walked right past the queues for the tickets, Liam pulling up the ones he had bought the day before on his phone and showing them to the lady behind the desk. She scanned them, nodding as they were approved, tearing two wristbands off a sheet, and handing them over.

“These will get you into any exhibit in the aquarium” she said, handing over a map as well. “Show them to the staff outside, and you’ll be let in.”

Liam thanked the woman, walking off to the side and putting the wristband on. He looked over at Theo, who’d put his on the moment he’d been given it and handed him the map.

“Why don’t you decide where we start?” Liam asked, and Theo nodded excitedly, taking the map from Liam and opening it.

His eyes scanned the page, roaming the areas he wanted to go to. There was the main exhibit he’d been eager to see, the new  _ ‘Crocodile Lair’ _ , but to get to it they had to go through a number of other displays too. And since the whole of the aquarium was one big, winding circle, it didn’t matter which way they went, they would see everything before they were finished here.

“Let’s go this way” Theo said, pointing towards a corridor to their left.

They began walking down the corridor, looking into the tanks filled with fish. Theo was surprised when Liam pulled out a camera and started taking photos of the fish, blue Dory’s, orange clown fish. Bright blue Mandarinfish darted through pink and yellow coral, while sea horses bobbed along with the currents, content in their place.

Theo couldn’t help but be impressed as he walked, that Liam had gone to the effort of planning the date for them. It… actually made him feel guilty, no matter his previous thoughts, that this was all based on a bet. Despite what he thought he knew, Liam had turned out to be a great guy. Theo had always thought that Liam was just some boring nerd, only interested in getting good marks.  _ Yes, _ he’d been annoying when it came to Theo’s parties, but looking back… Theo could tell that it was him who had been annoying, not Liam.

“Hey, Theo” Liam called, pulling him from his thoughts. “You okay? You enjoying yourself?”

“Yeah, I am” Theo said, conscious of the growing sense of guilt inside him. He looked around, trying to find something to take his mind off the guilt, when he spotted a tank a little further ahead. He pointed at it, saying, “Let’s have a look at that one.”

Liam nodded, smiling at the excited look on Theo’s face. They walked over to the tank, small and unassuming. Very few people seemed interested in the contents of the tank, so it made it all the easier for them to get a better look inside. It was dark, filled with rocks and seaweed, and at first it seemed like there was nothing else in there. Until something moved.

It was small, tiny, not much smaller than Theo’s palm, it’s eight arms stretched out, gripping the rock it rested on. Its body was probably not much bigger than Theo’s thumb. It was a bland, mucus brown colour, with dark circles surrounding its body.

“What one’s this?” Liam asked, bringing his camera up to take a photo.

There was a flash, and Liam shouted  _ “Shit” _ , bringing the camera down quickly. When he looked up, the dark rings along the octopus’ body were now a bright, electric blue, glowing in the dark of the tank, standing out from the brown of its body.

“This little guy is called a Blue Ringed Octopus” Theo said with a smile, crouching down to look at it properly. “His venom is so toxic that a single bite would be enough to kill twenty-six adult humans.”

Liam looked between Theo and the tank and back again, before finally settling on the tank.

“You’re not kidding, are you?” Liam asked quietly.

Theo shook his head. “Nope” he said, gripping Liam’s elbow and pulling him aside. “The worst bit about it is that there is no antivenom. Modern medicine has been unable to find a way to stop its effects, so we’re told to just avoid them.”

“Please don’t tell me they’re native here” Liam asked with a whine. He was fiddling with the setting on the camera as they walked, bringing it up to his face and taking a shot of a tank, filled with sea horses. He smiled when the flash didn’t go off, bringing it down to look at the photo he’d taken.

“No, they’re not” Theo said, chuckling at the way Liam’s shoulders dropped in relief. “They’re native to Australia, and other countries in the South Pacific. So, you won’t be seeing them here except for behind a bit of glass.”

“That makes it a little bit better” Liam said, continuing to walk through amongst the displays. “Just remind me to never go to Australia. It sounds like hell on earth.”

“Yes sir” Theo said with a laugh, following along behind Liam.

As they continued to walk, Theo found himself growing more and more eager the further in he got. He’d been excited to see the new crocodile exhibit, and he felt himself shaking the closer he got.

“…and then Mason said ‘I’m not doing that until hell freezes over’” Liam was saying, stopping in his tracks when he realised that Theo was no longer beside him. “Theo?”

He looked around him, suddenly spotting the taller male through the crowd, frozen to the spot. His eyes were blown wide in excitement, and a broad grin was on his face.

“Theo?” Liam called out, snapping the man out of his daze. “Are you okay? You just… froze on the spot.”

“Yeah” he said, voice light as he spoke. His eyes never moved, and Liam followed his line of sight towards a large, multi level tank, half filled with water, with a large dry patch higher up. The water was green, as if it hadn’t been cleaned in weeks, and Liam could see plants and logs littered throughout the tank.

“Do you want to go see what’s in there?” Liam asked, lacing his hand with Theo’s as he nodded, pulling him through the crowds of people and up a flight of stairs so they could get a better view of the tank.

Liam would be the first to admit that it was a little disappointing. The tank was empty, despite its size, and Liam was about to turn away when Theo gripped his shoulder, holding him in place.

“Watch” Theo said quietly, pointing to a log floating along the surface of the water.

Liam watched closely, not once taking his eyes off of it.

And then it blinked.

Liam looked closer, noticing the smaller details he’d missed. The legs tucked up against its stomach, the odd shape, the way the tail twitched just enough to make it look like the animal was moving because of the currents. Liam watched carefully as a raw leg of meat was lowered into the enclosure, just out of reach of the creature. There was a pause, and then a roar, as the thing launched itself out of the water, its jaws snapping over the leg. The thing splashed back down into the water, before it swam to the shore, chewing on its prize.

“What… on earth was that?” Liam asked as the surrounding crowds clapped and cheered at the performance.

“That was a crocodile” Theo said brightly, clapping along with the others. “A saltwater crocodile, in fact. I think he’s about… eight metres long.”

Liam shuddered, unable to tear his eyes away from the thing as the crowds dispersed.

“Come on” Theo said softly, fingers wrapping around Liam’s elbow and tugging lightly.

The rest of the day passed quickly after that, Theo rattling off facts as they passed other animals. Theo excitedly explained the differences between the sharks in the shark tank, before moving along to the rock pools, where they got to put their hands in the tanks and pat stingrays, starfish and baby sharks.

They walked back out onto the darkening street a few hours after they’d entered, smiles on their faces and their hands gripped tightly together.

“I just wanna say… this has been one amazing day Liam” Theo said, grinning widely. “I just… cant thank you enough for taking me here.”

Liam smiled warmly at Theo, shaking his head fondly. “It’s okay. I enjoyed hanging out with you today. It was fun getting to know more about you.”

Theo nodded in understanding, but he couldn’t help the stab of guilt that went through him.

“You don’t know how much this means to me” Theo said. “I don’t know many people who would do this, spend a whole day with me doing something only I enjoyed.”

“Hey, I enjoyed it too” Liam said, stopping them. He gripped Theo’s shoulder tightly, peering into his eyes. “Just because it’s something you enjoy doesn’t mean I have to  _ not _ enjoy it. And besides, I got to know you better over the past couple of hours than I ever did being your neighbour for the past three years.”

Theo felt that spike of guilt hit him again, but he forced it down, remembering to smile as he said, “I’m glad the sentiments the same.”

Even through the guilt, Theo couldn’t help but return the smile Liam gave him, squeezing his hand tightly. They continued to walk until they came to the bus stop to take them home, waiting for it to show up before clambering on to get out of the cold. They found a pair of empty seats, quickly sitting as the bus pulled back out into traffic.

“So, I was thinking” Liam said softly, squeezing Theo’s hand softly with his. “Today went… better than I expected. I… I know I’ve been an ass to you in the past, but… would you be willing to do this again?”

Theo couldn’t help but smile at Liam, nodding his head enthusiastically in assent.

And yet, despite his best efforts, he couldn’t help the niggling feeling that, if Liam were to find out, he’d never get this chance with him again. So he tried his best to push the guilt and knowledge of the bet to the side, letting himself enjoy Liam’s company while he still could.


	4. Chapter 4

" alt="Chapter 4" />

Liam hummed tunelessly as he walked through the store, pushing the small trolley piled high with books. He loved this part of his job, organising and sorting out the displays of books. Getting to just… ignore everything as he focused on his task with a single-minded intensity.

He piled books up high, carefully stacking them and arranging them so that customers could easily pull a book out of the pile without toppling the whole thing over. He read the backs of each book as he slowly went through the ones on his trolley, getting a sense of what they were about and adjusting the display accordingly.

By the time he was done, he’d read the backs of no less the thirty books, and had arranged them on the table according to their genre. He’d just placed another book on the pile when the bell over the door rang. He wasn't too concerned, knowing that Alec was standing behind the front desk.

What was concerning was when Alec called out his name, his voice muffled through the shelves and piles of books.

“Coming Alec,” Liam called back, limping slightly as he walked through the maze of shelves. “Do you wanna maybe keep the door open? It’s getting a little stuffy back here.”

“You sure? It looks like it’s freezing out there,” Alec called back, his voice not as muffled this time.

“It’s really not,” another, very familiar voice said back. “It’s actually quite warm outside.”

“Theo?” Liam asked, rounding the corner just beside the counter. “Why are you here?”

He stopped short at the sight Theo made. His hair was slightly wind-tousled, his green eyes shining as he smiled softly at Liam. Liam couldn't help but let his eyes do a quick sweep of Theo’s body, taking in the black t-shirt, skinny jeans and white Converse. It was certainly a sight Liam was going to remember for a while.

“Be careful Liam, your gay is showing,” Alec mock whispered, earning him a punch to the shoulder from Liam, and a bark of laughter from Theo.

“I brought you a coffee,” Theo said, holding out a paper cup, which Liam took gratefully. “I… didn't know what you liked, so I got you a latte. I hope it’s okay.”

Liam took a tentative sip, smiling in appreciation before he took a larger mouthful. He sighed, already feeling the much-needed buzz of the caffeine.

“Thanks Theo. I really needed that,” Liam said, smiling at the man. He took another mouthful, before asking, “Is there any reason other than coffee for why you’re here?”

“Am I not allowed to come visit you at work?” Theo asked in mock offense, a smile on his face. “But no, I wanted to see if you wanted to grab some lunch.”

“Uh, sure…” Liam said, searching the store for a clock, but coming up empty. “But I don’t think it’s time to run my break yet.”

“Liam, you were meant to run your break a half hour ago,” Alec said with a deadpan look. “You were so caught up in organising that display that you forgot.”

“Oh… my bad,” Liam said sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck.

“Just be glad that Derek likes you. Otherwise you'd be in big trouble,” Alec said with a laugh making shooing motions with his hands. “Now go. Enjoy your lunch with Hot Stuff here.”

“My name’s Theo, by the way,” Theo said as he walked out the door, quickly followed by Liam.

“No it isn't, Hot Stuff,” Alec called back, but the rest of his sentence was cut off as the door slammed shut, effectively ending the conversation.

“So…” Liam began, drawing out the word before going silent. They walked for a few moments in silence, before Liam spoke again. “How did you find where I worked?”

“I took a leaf out of your book,” Theo said with a shrug, burying his hands in his pockets. When Liam gave him an inquiring look, he elaborated, saying, “I stalked you on Facebook. Had to accept your friend request, since I wasn’t a friend of a friend. I… should probably change my privacy settings if it was that easy for you to find out so much about me.”

“Probably,” Liam said with a laugh. “I mustn't've noticed since I was too busy with work.” He let out a soft laugh, before taking another sip of his coffee. “Thanks again for the coffee. I can pay you back. I’m guessing it was, what? Five bucks?”

“Don't worry about paying me back,” Theo said, shaking his head vigorously. “Seriously, five bucks isn't going to put me out of pocket.”

“Are you sure?” Liam asked, his free hand hovering over the pocket his wallet was in. “I’m pretty sure I have the money on me.”

“Liam, please. It’s all good,” Theo said softly. “I’m just trying to be nice here. And… consider it a part of an apology, for being such a dick to you in the past. I… I never thought that my parties were having a negative effect on you, was all.”

Liam snorted into his coffee, and Theo shot him a look.

“I know I haven't been the best neighbour in the past. I know that,” Theo said anxiously, burying his hands further into his pockets. “And that's why I want to buy you lunch too. As like a… second date, but as an apology too.”

Liam’s jaw dropped open in shock as he listened to Theo. He cleared his throat, trying to think of a response.

“You… you don't have to buy me lunch, Theo,” Liam said finally. “An apology is more than enough. It was for you when I apologised the other day.”

“I know, but this has been going on for much longer,” Theo said, coming to a stop. “I really am sorry for being an asshole for the last couple years. I don't know how you put up with me for so long.”

“Well, your good looks certainly helped,” Liam said with a laugh. When Theo looked shocked, Liam arched an eyebrow. “What? Have you not seen yourself in the mirror? I… may have, obviously, noticed you were good looking when we first met, but… ah, I never thought much of it. Until…”

“Until?” Theo asked, crossing his arms across his chest.

“Well, until about six months ago,” Liam said softly. “It was the… end of May, a really hot day. You came back from a party drunk and shirtless. You… you knocked on my door, thinking it was your apartment. And… well, seeing you shirtless was enough for a crush to form.” He paused slightly, before he flushed lightly. “I… think it helped that you kept calling me cute.”

Theo flushed too, his cheeks burning as he stammered. “Would you believe me when I said I don't remember that?”

“Yeah, I would,” Liam said. “Considering the fact that we passed each other the next day and you seemed to have forgotten I existed, it’s not at all surprising.”

“Look, I’m sorry-”

“No, don't apologise,” Liam cut in. “You don't need to apologise for that.”

“If you’re sure,” Theo said hesitantly.

Liam nodded, a determined smile on his face.

They continued walking, a comfortable silence settling between them. It wasn't long before they were walking into a small Chinese restaurant, and soon seated at a small table in the back.

They were glancing over their menus when Theo cleared his throat, getting Liam’s attention.

“Is everything okay?” Liam asked. “Do you need a drink or something?”

“No, that's not it,” Theo said, shaking his head. “I just… part of why I wanted to see you today was because of tonight.”

“Right… party night,” Liam said, voice hardening. “I promise I won't barge in like last week…”

“No, no. That’s not what I was going to ask,” Theo said, waving his hands frantically. Liam cocked his head to the side. “I wanted to tell you that the party isn't being held at my apartment tonight. Or any other Friday night in the near future.”

Liam’s jaw dropped, and he opened and closed his mouth as he tried to search for the right words. When he finally found them he said, “You’re… you’re not joking, right?”

Theo shook his head. “No, I’m not joking,” Theo said with a smile. “I figured I’ve caused you enough grief for one lifetime, so I’ll stop now.”

He seemed… regretful, guilty. Liam knew those feelings well. He reached a hand across the table, gripping Theo’s hand tightly in his own, smiling softly.

“It’s okay,” Liam said softly. “I forgive you. You didn't have to do anything… but you did. So… thank you.”

The waiter showed up a few moments later, asking for their orders. Liam ordered chicken steaks, Theo a plate of Mongolian beef, before the waiter left, returning a moment later with a jug of water and some glasses.

Their meal passed quickly, chatting aimlessly while they ate. Theo paid for the meal, despite Liam’s protests, before they left the cosy restaurant and walked back to the bookstore, hand in hand. They stopped outside the door, tuning to face each other. Theo smiled shyly, squeezing Liam’s hand in his own, scratching the back of his neck.

“Would it be okay if I were to kiss you?” he asked shyly, ducking his head. “It’s okay if you don't want me to. I just…”

“Theo,” Liam said, gripping his chin and lifting his head up, staring into his eyes. A gentle smile tugged at his lips as he said, “You can kiss me.”

Theo leaned forward, closing his eyes softly. He hesitated, just out of reach, his lips barely grazing Liam’s. Liam let out a huff, leaning forward himself and pressing his lips to Theo’s.

It was soft, Theo’s lips chapped and raw from biting them too much. Liam turned his head to the side, pressing forward a little more insistently, before pulling back. His chest was heaving, and his glasses were slightly askew.

Theo chuckled, reaching up and re-adjusting them for him. “You are gorgeous,” Theo said softly, leaning down and pressing another kiss to Liam’s lips. “Are you doing anything on Sunday?”

“Don’t you… don’t you have a game?” Liam asked, his mind still reeling from the kiss.

“We have a bye this week. So, no game,” Theo said with a smile. “We can… go to the museum, if you want? Or go and see a movie?”

“I’d love to,” Liam said softly, leaning up and kissing Theo again. “Are you going to message me this time, or will I have to again?”

“No, I’ll make sure to do it this time. I promise,” Theo said, crossing over his heart.

“Okay. It’s a date then,” Liam said, hugging Theo.

Theo froze momentarily, before hugging him back, rocking them back and forth. A wolf whistle from within the store broke them apart, both of them blushing furiously as they looked inside.

Alec was standing in the window, smiling and waving at them.

“Good on you lover boy,” he yelled, whistling again.

“I’ve gotta go. I’ve gotta get some alcohol for this party tonight,” Theo said, pointing behind him with his thumb. “I’ll see you before Sunday, right?”

“Definitely,” Liam said, smiling and waving as Theo walked backwards for a few feet, before spinning on his heel.

Liam couldn't keep the grin off of his face for the rest of the day after that.

***

Theo stumbled through the corridor of his apartment building, looking for the door to his apartment. Was it usually this hard to find it? His thoughts were too muddled and fuzzy to really think of anything, let alone where his apartment normally was.

He tripped up the stairs, somehow catching himself before he landed on his face. Was walking this hard? He thought it was easier than this. He stumbled his way past doors, finding one that looked familiar. This was his, surely. Of course it was. If it was familiar, it was surely his.

He rummaged around in his pocket, looking for his keys. He managed to hook a finger though the ring, easing them out of his pocket, before they fell to the floor with a clatter. He bent down, picking them up, before dropping them again. He giggled. Why was this so funny? He did it again, repeating it a few more times before he finally managed to stop himself from dropping them. He fished out the necessary key, sticking his tongue out of the corner of his mouth in sincere concentration. He let out an “ah ha” before he slipped the key into the lock.

Of course his key didn't fit.

Why didn't it fit?

He tried forcing the key into the lock, but that didn't work. He banged his fist against the door, rattling the knob as he tried desperately to get into his apartment. Nothing was helping, and suddenly he had tears streaming down his face, crying because he couldn't get into his apartment.

“Please, just someone let me in," Theo let out in a choked sob, lightly banging in his fist against the door.

The door was suddenly flung open, and Theo lost the only thing supporting his weight, falling forward. The floor came up to meet him and he suddenly saw black.

He woke with a groan, surrounded by warmth. His head still felt like it was stuffed with cotton, his thoughts slow and sluggish as he tried to orient himself. He still felt queasy, the alcohol still thrumming through his veins as he took in his surroundings.

He was in a fairly familiar lounge, but it wasn't his own. Paintings and bookshelves lined the walls, and that alone told him he'd made a fool of himself to Liam.

“Hey… you’re awake," Liam said softly, closing the door to the bathroom behind him. “You really hit your head badly when you fell.”

“Is’h okay," Theo mumbled out, words slurred.

“It's not okay," Liam said, pressing a wet cloth to his temple. 

It came away red with blood, and the sight made Theo’s stomach crawl. As if knowing what was going to happen, Liam jumped back, pulling a bucket forward, placing it in Theo’s hands. Without warning, he was hurling up what remained in his stomach. Liam sighed, pressing the cloth back to Theo’s temple once he'd set the bucket back down.

He silently cleaned Theo up, getting up to get a fresh cloth once the one he had was too soiled to be of use anymore. He wiped away blood and vomit, gingerly wiping around Theo’s nose. Every pass of the cloth stung his nose, and Theo feared that it was broken.

“It's been a while since I've done this, but hold still," Liam said firmly, holding Theo down with a hand on his chest. He gripped Theo’s nose tightly between two fingers, before pulling hard to the left.

A loud crack reverberated through the room, and Theo let out a yelp of pain, his hands coming up to massage the sore appendage.

“Ow," Theo said, glaring at Liam. “That hurt."

“I know,” Liam said, nodding. “It wouldn't be the first nose I've had to reset. Nor, am I guessing, is it going to be the last.”

He smiled tiredly at Theo, moving around the couch Theo was lying on and walking into the kitchen.

“I’d suggest you go and have a shower," Liam said, loud enough for Theo to hear. “I'll cook something up for you while you get cleaned up.”

Theo nodded, trying to stand, but failing miserably. Liam rounded the couch again, propping him up against the pillows.

“Maybe don't do that, actually,” Liam said softly. “Stay here, I'll cook you something.”

Guilt and shame coiled in Theo’s gut, Liam’s actions and words bringing the memory of the bet floating to the surface of his foggy mind. His eyes stung, tears pooling at the corners of his eyes. He furiously scrubbed them, trying to stall them, but it wasn't enough. The tears fell, leaving tracks through the blood that remained on his skin.

“Theo, it's okay. You’re drunk, that's all," Liam said, gripping Theo’s shoulders tightly. He rubbed soothing circles into his shoulders, wiping away the tears with his other hand. “It's okay. You'll be able to walk in the morning.”

Theo was confused. What did him not being able to walk have to do with the bet? He shook his head, immediately regretting it as pain flared through his skull.

“You don't get it," he sobbed, shaking his head despite the pain. “You’re too good for me.” He sobbed again, turning his body away from Liam and burying his face in his pillow. “I wish this were real. So I could apologise.”

“Don't say that Theo," Liam said, rubbing his back comfortingly. “I sometimes think I'm not good enough for you.”

Theo froze, turning on the couch so he could face Liam again.

“What… What do you mean?”

“Well, look at you,” Liam said, gesturing to Theo. “You’re so fucking hot. And don't forget popular. You work out, stay fit, play sports. And then there's me. The nerdy, book-loving shut-in of an artist who can't even walk properly.” He said that last bit bitterly, before shaking his head. “Stay here. I’ll look after you.”

Theo nodded hesitantly as Liam walked off, the sound of pans moving on the stove and utensils banging together lulling him into half-sleep. A hand shaking his shoulder roused him from his sleep, pulling him up into a sitting position.

“It’s not much, I know,” Liam said, setting a plate down on the coffee table. “But I know Mason and Corey find this helpful when they get drunk.”

Theo blinked his eyes slowly as Liam walked off, returning a moment later with a knife and fork, as well as a glass of water and a strip of painkillers.

“Here you go,” Liam said with a smile.

Theo looked down at his plate, smiling softly. Liam had cooked him bacon and eggs, the eggs scrambled and fluffy and sitting on some toast. He didn't know how Liam knew he liked them that way, but he couldn't help the way his heart soared at Liam’s actions. He picked up the fork Liam had handed him, taking a small, hesitant bite. When he’d swallowed it, and his stomach wasn’t rebelling at being filled with food, he took a larger bite. It wasn't long before he was polishing the plate clean, his stomach full of food. He let out a loud burp, and Liam chuckled, walking over to him.

“I see you enjoyed yourself,” Liam said, taking the empty plate and cutlery from Theo. “Now drink that,” he said, pointing to the glass of water. “And take the painkillers. You’ll feel better once you do.”

Theo did as he was told, popping the painkillers on his tongue and swallowing them with a gulp of water, before draining the glass. Liam was right, he did feel better than he had before. He stood hesitantly, his legs shaky beneath him. He gripped the back of the couch tightly, keeping himself steady.

“Woah, what do you think you’re doing?” Liam asked, rounding the counter and pointing at him with a soapy spatula. “Sit back down. You’re not going anywhere.”

“I don't want to intrude…” Theo began, but Liam shook his head vigorously.

“You almost broke my door down, and then broke your nose when you face-planted in my doorway,” Liam said, a smile on his face. “You more than likely have a concussion, and I don’t want you on your own while you’re this drunk. So you’re staying here for tonight.”

“But… what?” Theo asked, his brow scrunched up in bewilderment. “I live just next door…”

“And if something were to happen to you?” Liam asked. “I’d rather you be here so that, if something does go wrong, I can at least call an ambulance.”

Theo opened his mouth to respond, but closed it with a sharp click. Through the jumbled mess his drunken mind currently was, he knew Liam had a point. He nodded, sinking back onto the couch.

“I’ll stay then,” Theo said, as if he had any say in the matter.

“Good,” Liam said, and Theo heard the sound of splashing water. He must be washing the dishes. “Now go and brush your teeth. I don’t want to wake up to vomit breath.”

“What?” Now Theo really was confused. Was Liam going to sleep on the couch with him?

“No, silly,” Liam said, and Theo realised he’d asked that out loud. “We’re sharing my bed. It’ll be more comfortable.”

Theo opened his mouth to complain, but thought better of it. He pulled himself up, swaying slightly, before shuffling over to the bathroom. It was small, tiled in light greys. He was thankful for that. His own was white, and always seared his eyes when he was drunk. This was a pleasant change from what he was used to.

There was a fresh toothbrush still sitting in its packaging. He pulled the plastic wrapping off, freeing it of its confines. He found the toothpaste, squirting a little out onto the brush, before running it under the water and beginning to scrub his teeth. The more he scrubbed, the fresher his mouth began to feel, and by the time he’d finished, he felt like he was an entirely new person.

“Do you wanna wait till morning to have a shower?” Liam asked, and Theo jumped. He hadn’t heard or seen Liam entering.

He gave himself a sniff, gagging at the smell of stale beer and sweat.

“I’ll take that as a no. I’ll put some fresh pyjamas on the counter for you,” Liam said softly, smiling at Theo. “Do you sleep with or without a shirt?”

“Without,” Theo said, not even thinking. “I sleep without one.”

Liam nodded, stepping out of the room, closing the door gently behind him.

Theo quickly shed his clothes, turning on the water and adjusting it to the right heat, before stepping in. He heard the door open slightly, the feeling of eyes lingering on his back briefly, making him shiver, before the door closed again.

He was quick, almost robotic. The heat from the spray was calming him down, and now he couldn't wait for sleep. Normally he’d have a little fun with himself, but now he was just too exhausted to do anything. Once he was done, he shut off the water, stepping out and towelling himself dry, before he slipped into the pants Liam had lent him.

He shuffled out of the bathroom, barely picking up his feet as he yawned, stretching his arms as he did. He didn’t know what time it was, but he knew it had to be late. His head was beginning to hurt, and he didn’t know if it was from the cut, the bump he’d had earlier, the alcohol, or a combination of all three. Sleep seemed like a good option right about now.

“Hey,” Liam said softly, shuffling over from the middle of the bed so Theo had some space. “I hope you had a good shower.”

He had a blush on his face, but Theo ignored it, nodding his head.

“That's good,” Liam said, pulling the covers back so Theo could lay down. He flicked off the lamp beside him, plunging the room into darkness, the only light being the light of the moon filtering through the blinds above them.

Liam laid down, while Theo found a comfortable position, rolling onto his side. Almost immediately an arm wrapped around his side, pulling him back against Liam. He couldn't help but sigh in contentment as Liam held him.

“Is this okay?” Liam asked softly. He lightly ran his fingers over Theo’s abs, brushing through the light dusting of hair that was his treasure trail. Despite his sleep-deprived and alcohol fuelled-mind, Theo couldn't help but think things were going to get hard and heavy. But the hand stilled in its movements, and Theo couldn't help but shiver. “Theo? Are you okay like this?”

Theo nodded, a lazy smile on his face. “Yeah, this is perfect,” Theo whispered, his mind slowly slipping into sleep.

“Okay,” Liam said softly, pressing a soft kiss to the back of his neck, squeezing him tighter.

And that was the last thing he heard before he was asleep.


	5. Chapter 5

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Liam woke slowly, blearily opening his eyes. Muted sunlight fell through the window above him, illuminating the room in a soft glow. One arm was sticking out from under the covers, cold and freezing. He shifted, pulling it under, loving the warmth that slowly seeped into the frozen limb.

A soft groan to his left made Liam freeze, thinking over the events of the night before. He slowly turned his head, sighing when he saw that it was Theo. Memories of the night before slipped to the forefront of his mind, and he relaxed.

He turned on his side, snuggling up closer to Theo’s warmth. He’d forgotten how good it felt to wake up like this. Even if it was only because Theo had been too drunk the night before for Liam to let him go home by himself, it was… comforting, having another person in his bed. He’d often woken up cold and freezing on mornings like this, but the extra body, and the extra warmth, was amazing to wake up to.

He couldn't help but watch Theo as he slept. He seemed so peaceful like this, his shoulders relaxed, his face soft. He seemed so small while sleeping like this, which was an odd thought for Liam. Theo had always seemed so huge, dominating the space around him by sheer size alone. But right now, that wasn't the case.

He watched Theo, the way his eyelids fluttered softly, the way his nose scrunched up in sleep. Liam couldn't help it. He shuffled forward, pressing his lips to Theo’s, before moving to cover Theo’s face in soft kisses.

Theo let out a low whine, his eyes fluttering open as he yawned, a soft smile on his face. He snuggled closer to Liam, wrapping his arms around Liam’s body as Liam stopped kissing his face, resting his head on the pillow beside Theo.

“Morning,” Theo said softly, a soft, sleepy smile on his face. “I could get used to this.”

“I could too,” Liam said softly, wrapping one leg over Theo’s own. He smiled, kissing the tip of Theo’s nose, laughing lightly as he scrunched up his nose. “You’re so cute.”

“I am not cute,” Theo said, an offended look on his face. He laughed lightly, shaking his head. “You’re even cuter than me.”

Liam blushed, pressing his face into Theo’s neck, smiling. It had been a long time since anyone had called him cute.

“Are you blushing?” Theo asked, pulling back so he could look at Liam. “Oh my god, you are. That's even cuter than I thought.”

“It is not,” Liam said, burrowing himself in even further, trying to hide. “You’re lying. I know it.”

Theo chuckled, shaking his head. He leaned down, kissing the top of Liam’s head. “I’m not lying Liam. I promise you that.”

Liam froze, looking up hesitantly. Doubt and confusion swirled in his chest, and he couldn’t help it when he asked, almost brokenly, “Really?”

Theo nodded, smiling softly. “Yeah, I’m not lying Li.”

Liam couldn’t help the blush that formed this time, too happy to stop himself.

***

Theo grinned broadly as he watched Liam admiring the displays. He couldn’t believe how lucky he was, to actually spend his time with Liam. Even though the growing sense of guilt in his chest was making him lose some sleep, he was happy.

Even if he knew his time with Liam was short.

“Theo, come and have a look at this,” Liam said, tugging on his arm, dragging him over to another display.

Theo eyed it critically. It was a fragment from a frieze, standing as high as Theo was tall. How it could be a fragment, he had no idea, but the sheer size of the fragment alone was telling of how big the original piece had been.

“I… don’t know what this is,” Theo said, not bothering to lie.

“It’s a fragment of the tale of Icarus,” Liam said. “See here, how these two figures have wings for arms? It’s Daedalus and his nephew, Icarus, escaping from their prison in Crete. Daedalus created the wings from birds’ feathers and wax. It’s broken off, but the rest fo the tale goes that Icarus was warned to not stray too close to the sun, or else the wax would melt, and he would fall to his death. He ignored the warnings, and flew higher anyway, and… I suppose you can guess the rest.”

“Are all Greek myths like this?” Theo asked. His eyes flicked between Liam and the carving, a nervous feeling settling in his gut.

“Yeah, most of them do. And that’s not even the worst, trust me,” Liam said. He turned from the carving, walking a few steps, before stopping once he realised Theo hadn’t followed him. “Theo, you coming?”

“Yeah… just a moment,” Theo said. He turned from the carving, following Liam through the rest of the museum. But he was unable to keep the story Liam had told him out of his mind.

And he couldn’t help but feel like he was only playing with fire the longer he kept the ruse up.

***

It had been a tense night to begin with. Liam had invited Theo over to one of the movie nights he and his friends had every Saturday. And by the way they had acted, they clearly hadn’t been aware that he would be there.

Mason had been offended that Liam hadn’t trusted him enough to tell him, but Corey had been quick to shut him up.

“He never complained when Hayden showed up with Tracey in tow,” Corey told him, later on in the night. “She just… showed up out of the blue with her, not a word beforehand. And Mason couldn’t care less.”

“Yeah, I get that,” Theo said softly, eyeing the two women as they were cuddled up together, Hayden sitting in Tracey’s lap. “But you've had Liam bitching about how much of an asshole I am for the past three years. I can’t blame you for already having formed an opinion of me. God knows I had one of Liam before I started dating him.”

“I will have you know that I do not bitch,” Liam said from across the room, where he was fiddling with his PlayStation. “That is a blatant lie, I’ll have you know.”

“Of course it is Liam,” Mason said as he walked out of the kitchen, carrying a bottle of soft drink and a packet of chips into the lounge with him. “You do nothing but bitch most of the time.”

“Shut up Mason,” Hayden said, slapping him on the arm. “Now you’re just being an asshole.”

“I just want to say that I agree with Mason and Theo,” Tracey said, piping up. “Liam really does bitch a lot.”

“Hey,” Liam yelled out. “I do not bitch.”

“Sure sounds like you’re bitching,” Mason said in a mock whisper. He dodged the pillow sent flying his way while everyone else laughed.

“Some friends you are,” Liam said with a pout, stalking over to Theo. He sat down beside him, curling his legs up beneath him and leaning against Theo. “Here you go,” Liam said, handing over one of the two controllers he had. “You and I can play the first round together.”

“Sure.”

Theo took the controller from Liam, selecting a character from the roster at random. He didn’t know much about these kinds of games, but he figured he would do okay. He’d played Mortal Kombat before...it shouldn’t be too hard

Ten minutes later, and he was not doing okay. He groaned as his character, yet again, had his spine ripped out, while everyone else cheered Liam on. He wordlessly passed the controller over to Mason, Liam doing the same and passing his over to Corey. He sat back down, leaning against Theo, chin resting on Theo’s shoulder as he watched him.

“Are you okay?” he asked softly, his eyes never leaving Theo’s face.

Theo nodded. “Yeah, I should be.”

“Not used to losing, I’m guessing?”

“It’s not that,” Theo said, shaking his head. He paused, thinking it over for a moment. “Okay, maybe it is.”

“Looks like the hotshot football star isn’t amazing at everything after all,” Liam said with a chuckle.

“Well, I’m not a big fan of these games any way,” Theo said, motioning towards the screen. He watched as Mason’s character was pummeled to death with his own arms, before speaking again. “Just… fighting games aren’t my thing is all.”

“That’s okay,” Liam said, smiling softly. He leaned forward, kissing Theo on the side of the mouth. “Maybe we can play something else more to your liking once the others leave.”

“I heard that,” Mason said, throwing a pillow their way. “And get a room.”

Theo couldn’t help but smile as he watched Liam and Mason argue, Tracey and Hayden’s game forgotten. For once, the sense of guilt was not overwhelming, and he couldn’t help but feel like he was happy where he was.

***

“I’ve gotta say, I think I may have been thinking a little too rashly when it comes to Theo,” Mason said out of the blue one day.

Liam looked up from the stack of books he was slowly going through. Mason just smirked as he leaned against the counter, swirling his tongue around a lollipop.

“Would you like to elaborate Mase?” Liam said through gritted teeth. He pulled a book out of the stack, scanning it into the computer, before setting it down again.

He a few others into the system, before Mason pulled the lollipop out of his mouth with a loud ‘pop’.

“What I mean is that… I thought he was going to be an arsehole,” Mason said, dropping his hand to his side. He shook his head, sighing. “I mean, I’ve been thinking about what Theo said the other day, about how we’d heard you bitching about him for the past few years…”

“I don’t bitch,” Liam interrupted, sending a glare towards Mason.

“Okay, okay, you don’t bitch,” Mason said, holding his hands up in surrender. “Any way, as I was saying. I’d… already had an opinion on what he’d be like. And seeing him with you… I suppose I’ve been a little harsh with him.”

“You think?” Liam asked, eyebrow arched.

He picked up the pile of books, placing them down on the trolley and setting off through the store, Mason hot on his heels.

“I mean, hear me out,” Mason said once Liam came to a stop. “He’s been nothing but an arse for the past three years, never once listening to your complaints. And then he suddenly asks you out and he changes his attitude? I honestly thought he was setting you up for heartbreak.”

“Yeah, but you’re a pessimist,” Liam said, not looking up from the shelves.

“But you know what I always say,” Mason said. “I’m either right, or I’m pleasantly surprised. And I’m just saying, I am pleasantly surprised with the outcome.”

“Thanks Mase,” Liam said, finally looking away from the shelves. “That means a lot.”

The bell over the door rang, but the both of them ignored it as Mason continued speaking.

“So, I was thinking. There’s a convention being held at the Whittaker Convention Centre about a week after we get back from Christmas break. Would you like to go?”

Liam groaned, shaking his head. “No, I can’t. I won’t have enough money for a ticket that soon.”

Mason shrugged his shoulders. “It’s all good. I’m sure Corey would like to go with me.”

Someone cleared their throat, making Liam and Mason jump. They looked at each other, gauging who else was in the store with them.

“Hello… is anyone there?” Theo’s voice called out.

“Theo, hey,” Liam called back, standing from his position on the floor. He walked back through the lines of shelves to the counter, a smile settling on his lips once he spotted Theo. “Hey, how’s it going?”

“It’s going good,” Theo said, stepping forward and wrapping Liam in a hug, pressing a kiss to Liam’s lips once they’d pulled away. “How’s work?”

“Better, now that you’re here,” Liam said.

“I heard that,” Mason said, walking out from in between the shelves. “You’re not the only one in the store you know.”

“I know,” Liam said. “Besides, don’t you have plans with Corey?”

“I do,” Mason said, nodding his head. But he made no move to leave.

“Is everything okay Mason?” Theo asked, cocking his head to the side.

“No, it isn’t,” Mason said, shaking his head. He let out a weary sigh, before he spoke. “Look, I’d just like to apologise for being an arse to you. While you’d been an arse to Liam in the past, I should have tried to be the better person and not acted like one to you. And… I’m sorry. I was only trying to make sure Liam wasn’t going to get himself hurt.”

“Oh, that’s… that’s okay,” Theo said, a look of shock on his face. “I… thank you, Mason.”

He smiled softly, and Mason beamed, nodding his head.

“That’s… that’s wonderful,” he said, clapping his hands together. “Well, it’s time for me to go. I’ll leave the two of you alone now.”

He waved at the two of them, before he left, a gust of cold wind blowing into the store as he left.

“That was… a little odd,” Theo said, head cocked to the side. He shook his head, turning back to face Liam, who was leaning against the counter. “So, are you doing anything after work tonight?”

“Uh, no. Not really. I have to put some finishing touches on an assignment that’s due next week, but that’s about it.”

“Well then, would you like to go to the movies later?” Theo asked moving forward to cage Liam in against the counter. He leaned down, kissing the side of Liam’s head.

“Don’t you have practice tonight?” Liam asked, leaning his head against Theo’s shoulder.

“Coach cancelled. He said something about it being too cold,” Theo said, pulling back to look Liam in the eye. “So, how about it?”

“I’d love to,” Liam said. “Alec should be here in like… an hour? He shouldn’t be too long.”

“That’s okay, I can wait here with you,” Theo said, pulling away as he smiled at Liam. “Go on. Finish up what you were doing and we can keep talking.”

Liam couldn’t help but smile as he went back to stocking the shelves. Theo really was an amazing boyfriend.

***

Theo knocked on the door to Liam’s apartment, book in hand, waiting patiently. He’d heard Liam getting home about a half an hour ago, and had been on the final few pages of the book when he’d shown up, and he’d been too focused to get up and go over. But now that he’d finished, he needed to know what happened next.

The door opened, and Liam smiled at him, bright and cheery.

“Hey Theo,” he said, stepping to the side, gesturing for him to come in. “You’re just in time.”

“In time for what?” Theo asked, cocking his head to the side. “I was coming over to return this. And to ask if I could borrow the next one.”

He held out the book to Liam, who took it from him.

“I’m guessing you liked it?” Liam asked with a smirk, walking over to a bookshelf and setting it down in front of the others. 

“Yeah, I really enjoyed it,” Theo said, smiling. “And that ending… Christ, I was not expecting that with Caeden.”

“Oh, yeah. I wasn’t expecting that either,” Liam said, as he scanned the shelves, before pulling out the right one and handing it to Theo. “There you go.  _ An Echo of Things to Come _ . If you like the ending to the first one, you’ll certainly enjoy the ending to this.”

“I’m sure I will,” Theo said, pulling Liam into a hug. “Thanks for letting me read it.”

“My pleasure,” Liam said. He reached up, kissing Theo. He pulled back quicker than Theo would have liked, a soft smile on his face. “Before you go… would you like to watch a movie with me?”

“I’d love to,” Theo said, setting the book down on the coffee table. “So, what were you planning on watching? Have you got anything picked out?”

“Well, I was about to start watching  _ Pulp Fiction _ ,” Liam said, pointing to the TV, where it was paused on the opening credits. “We can watch that, or we can watch something else.”

“ _ Pulp… Fiction _ ? What’s that?” Theo asked.

Liam gasped, clapping a hand over his mouth. “You did not just say that.”

“What? I… I don’t know what that is,” Theo said, holding his hands up in surrender.

“It’s a movie. By Quentin Tarantino. It’s… a little difficult to explain what it’s about. The best way i’ve found to describe it is chaos incarnate, with classic Samuel L Jackson lines,” Liam said, scratching the back of his neck.

“I’ve… heard of Tarantino. Everyone says his movies are really good,” Theo said, lowering his hands. He grabbed Liam’s wrist, pulling it away from his neck, pressing a kiss to the open palm. “And if it has Samuel L Jackson in it, that’s even better. So, if you think it’s good, than I’ll definitely watch it with you.”

“Wonderful,” Liam said, smiling. “Come on then.”

He tugged on Theo’s wrist, pulling him over to the couch. Theo sat down, while Liam grabbed the controller, pressing play, before joining Theo on the couch. He leaned into Theo’s side as the opening scenes started up, and Theo shifted his arm, wrapping it around Liam’s shoulders.

“You’re so comfortable,” Liam said softly, his breath fanning out over Theo’s neck.

Theo turned his head to look at Liam, his breath catching at the admiration swimming in his eyes. Theo couldn’t help himself as he dove in, kissing Liam. At first Liam seemed shocked, before he relaxed, pressing into the kiss. It quickly turned from passionate to needy, teeth and tongues and lips gliding together. Liam pulled back, biting down lightly on Theo’s bottom lip, and Theo couldn’t help the needy whine that escaped his throat. His pants were suddenly too tight, his cock hard and throbbing as Liam continued to bite his lip.

Lust burned in Liam’s eyes, and Theo struggled to swallow past the sudden lump in his throat. Liam moved, quicker than Theo had seen him move before, suddenly straddling Theo’s lap, his legs on either side of his thighs. Their lips came together in a hungry clash of lips, before Liam pulled away, nipping and biting along his jaw, before sucking a hickey into Theo’s neck.

Theo cocked his head to the side, baring more of his neck for Liam. Liam rocked his hips down, rubbing his hard cock against Theo’s crotch, and Theo gasped. His hands came down, gripping Liam’s hips tightly, stilling his movement. This time Liam whined, but he made no move to fight against Theo’s grip.

“Do you really want to do this?” Theo asked softly, kissing Liam’s jaw.

Liam nodded and Theo shook his head.

“Use your words Liam,” Theo said, shaking his head. “If you want this to go anywhere, you have to speak up.”

Liam nodded again, and Theo frowned, loosening his hold on Liam’s hips.

“No, Theo, wait,” Liam said, bringing his hands down, gripping Theo’s hands by the wrists. “I want this. I really do. Please. Don’t… don’t stop.”

Theo smirked, gripping Liam’s hips again, digging his thumbs in hard enough to bruise.

“Oh, do you like it when I’m rough like this?” Theo asked, raising an eyebrow.

Liam blushed, ducking his head. Theo chuckled lightly, nudging his cheek with his nose, getting him to look up again.

“I like it when you blush,” Theo said softly, kissing Liam, before biting along Liam’s jaw, leaving a hickey on his neck, a mirror to Theo’s own. “You look so cute when you do.”

Liam let out a soft laugh, running his hands up and down Theo’s arms, gripping his biceps tightly. Theo took his chance to hike up Liam’s shirt, and Liam lifted up his arms so Theo could pull it over his head.

Theo couldn't tear his eyes away from Liam. It was probably the first time he’d ever seen Liam shirtless, and he couldn't help but enjoy the sight. Liam was chubby, soft around the stomach and sides, with a broad chest. Theo had never noticed that Liam had some fat around his stomach, but it was a good look to him.

He shifted his hold on Liam’s torso, running his hands up and down Liam’s sides, but Liam gripped his wrists tightly, stilling his hands.

“Please, don’t,” Liam said softly.

Theo tore his gaze from Liam’s stomach, looking up to Liam’s face. His eyes were downcast, almost as if he were ashamed of how he looked.

“Hey, what's wrong?” Theo asked, pulling a hand from Liam’s grip, bringing it up and caressing his cheek.

“I don’t… I don’t know how you aren't turned off by what you see,” Liam said quietly.

“Is that what you’re worried about? That I don't like what I see?” Theo asked with a smirk.

He brought his hands down, gripping Liam by the hips tightly. He ground his crotch up into Liam’s, rubbing his hard cock against Liam’s. Both of them moaned, Liam resting his forehead against Theo’s.

“Fuck,” Liam said, grinding down himself, making Theo buck his hips. “You… you aren't turned off by me?”

Theo’s heart broke at the insecurity he heard in Liam’s voice, bringing one hand up to cup Liam’s cheek, pulling him down so he could kiss him.

“Liam, you are the most beautiful person I have laid eyes on,” Theo said once he’d pulled away. “You look amazing, with or without a shirt.”

The smile that graced Liam’s lips was like the sun shining on him, before Liam was kissing him again, grinding his cock down into Theo’s. Their hard dicks ground against each other, and Theo felt himself leaking in his pants. He could feel his orgasm rising, like a fire growing in the pit of his stomach. Liam was moaning above him, kissing along his neck, gripping Theo’s arms in a vice-like grip.

Theo was close, closer than he would like to admit so soon after starting, but he was. Liam’s movements grew more and more erratic, and Theo knew he was close too. His orgasm was close, and all he had to do was reach out and grab it, and he’d get that sweet, sweet relief.

A knock on the door startled the two of them out of their reverie. Liam jumped up from his position on Theo’s lap, eyes wide, a visible tent in his pants. Theo could feel his own erection softening, the mood killed.

He watched as Liam grabbed his shirt, slipped it back on and adjusted himself in his pants, before he moved to the door, cracking it open slightly.

“Oh, hey. Mason,” he heard Liam say from the door, before the door was opening further, and Mason walked in.

“Hey Liam,” Mason said with a smile, coming to a stop once he came to the lounge room. “Oh, hey Theo. I wasn't expecting to see you here.”

“Hey Mason,” Theo said with a wave, thankful that Mason’s view was blocked by the back of the couch. “How's it going?”

“It’s going well,” Mason said, before noticing the movie playing on the screen. “Oh, hey. You’re watching  _ Pulp Fiction _ ? Can I join?”

“Uh...sure?” Liam said with a shrug. Mason beamed, and Liam mouthed a silent  _ Sorry _ to Theo behind Mason’s back. “What are you doing here though? Didn’t you and Corey have a date tonight?”

“We did,” Mason said. “But he had a group assignment that needed to be done by tomorrow, and he’s had to crack down on the other members of the group. So we cancelled for tonight.”

“Fair enough,” Liam said, moving to join Theo on the couch. “We’re only about twenty minutes in, so you’re free to join us if you want.”

“Uh… could I be a pain and ask to see it from the start?” Theo asked. “I… have lost track of what’s been happening.”

Liam couldn’t help but smirk at him, but nodded his head, grabbing the controller as Mason sat down and joined them.

***

“It’s been a couple of weeks, Theo,” Matt said, slinging an arm around his shoulders. “How’s the bet coming along?”

Theo couldn't help the shiver that went through him as he wriggled his way out of Matt’s hold. The music was loud, and the smell of alcohol was heavy in the air. They’d tried cracking a window open to let in some fresh air, but it was too cold at this time of year to do so.

Theo sent a glare Matt’s way, shaking his head. “I don't know what you’re talking about,” he said.

“Oh, don't bother lying to me,” Matt said, lips turning up in a smirk. “I overheard you and Josh when he gave you the bet. I know all about it.”

Theo felt his blood run cold. Matt was the resident asshole of the team, and the only one who had any problem with Theo’s bisexuality. And Josh and Ethan being a thing.  

“What’s it mean to you?” Theo asked, eyebrow arched.

“Well, I mean… you had the largest apartment,” Matt said, sidling up to him. “We were able to fit everyone and their dog in there. But now…now you’re too busy being all lovey dovey with that boyfriend of yours for us to have a decent party.”

“You know, I don't need to put up with you,” Theo said, moving away from Matt. “I’m happy now. Happier than I have been in a while. And I’m not about to change that for an asshole like you.”

Matt’s smirk fell, a mask of anger slipping into place.

“I knew you were just a fucking faggot,” Matt spat out, stalking forward. He poked Theo hard in the chest, before Theo batted his hand away. “A no good fag who likes to take it up the ass.”

Theo scoffed, turning away from Matt. He didn't need to put up with this.

“That’s it,” Matt called out over the music, gathering the attention of the crowd around him. The music seemed to stop just for what he had to say next. “That's it you faggot. Go run away to your faggy boy toy.”

Theo saw red. He turned on his heel, nostrils flaring as he glared across the now empty space between the two of them.

“What was that?” he asked, voice deceptively calm.

He stalked forward, grabbing Matt by the front of his shirt.

“I said,” Matt repeated, one eyebrow arched. “Why don't you run away to your faggy boy toy?”

It was a surprise to Theo when his fist connected with Matt’s jaw. Matt’s head snapped back with a loud crack. A few shrieks echoed through the room, before a fist connected with Theo’s stomach. Theo groaned in pain, but the adrenaline running through his veins muted the it. He pulled his fist back, bringing it down on Matt’s nose. An audible snap rang through the air, and Theo knew he’d broken the bastards nose. He brought his fist down again and again, teeth bared in anger. He was so focused he didn't notice the elbow directed towards his face, before pain shot through him and Theo was seeing stars.

He reeled backwards, his grip on Matt’s shirt loosening. Theo felt him moving away, his fingers desperately clutching for the asshole’s shirt, before a pair of arms were wrapping around Theo’s chest, pinning his arms to his sides and dragging him away.

“What… why are you letting him get away?” Theo screamed, kicking his feet out as he was dragged away. He watched Matt, bent over and kneeling on all fours, spitting out blood. Theo thought he saw a tooth in the pool of blood underneath Matt. “He deserves it.”

“We know,” Theo heard someone say, and he turned, seeing Ethan pulling him away, glaring at Matt the whole time. He turned his head, seeing Josh on his other side. “He deserves it. But that doesn't mean we should be the ones doing it.”

Theo still struggled in their grip as they dragged him out of the apartment and out of the building. By the time they were sitting him down on the curb outside the building, Theo had calmed down enough to think straight. And realise that his nose was still bleeding.

“Damn dude, that’s a lot of blood,” Josh said, kneeling down in front of him. He poked at the broken nose, and Theo flinched back, the pain sending bright stars shooting through his vision.

“Don’t… don’t touch it,” Theo blubbered out, words slurred through the blood coating his lips and pooling in his mouth. He turned his head to the side, spitting out a wad of blood, before turning back to Josh. “Do either of you know how to reset this?”

Josh shook his head, and Theo turned to Ethan, who was shaking his head just as vigorously. Theo sighed, pulling his shirt off gingerly, making sure not to hurt his nose any more, before balling it up and pressing it to his nose.

“Well, can you take me to someone who can fix it?” Theo asked in annoyance.

They nodded, pulling Theo up from the curb and walking over to Josh’s car, the three of them getting in. The engine roared to life, before Josh was pulling out of the parking space and driving off.

“So, where do you want me to go? There’s the hospital about twenty minutes away, if you can afford it,” Josh said, looking at Theo through the rearview mirror.

“I should be able to,” Theo said, resting his head against the back of the seat. He fished his phone out of his pocket, unlocking it and handing it over to Ethan. “Can you message Liam, tell him we’ll be at the hospital? I was going to be meeting up with him after the party.”

“Can do,” Ethan said, taking the phone from Theo, typing away on the screen. The phone pinged a few moments later, before Ethan said, “He wants to know what hospital we’re going to.”

“Tell him. He’ll find out about the fight eventually,” Theo said, wiping away more blood.

Silence filled the car for a moment before Josh spoke up.

“What about the bet?” he asked, this time not moving his eyes away from the road.

Theo sighed, shaking his head.

“I don't know how to bring that up” Theo said, voice near a whisper. “How do I bring up that the only reason I asked him out was because I lost a bet?”

“I don't know,” Josh said honestly, turning into the hospital car park. “But you’re going to have to tell him, sooner rather than later. If Matt knows about the bet, it’s safe to say the rest of the team does. And it would be better if he hears it from you.”

Theo looked out the window, seeing Liam standing over near the entrance to the hospital. He was looking down at his phone, seemingly typing away at something. Theo’s phone pinged in Ethan’s hand.

“He says he’s here already,” Ethan said, holding out his phone. “And that he hopes that you get here soon.”

Theo nodded, taking the phone from Ethan before slipping it back into his pocket.

“I just… I don't want to hurt him, is all,” Theo said to Josh, making eye contact through the mirror.

“And I’m sure if you explain to him what’s happened, he’ll understand,” Josh said, before unlocking the doors. “Now go. Your man is waiting for you.”


	6. Chapter 6

" alt="Chapter 6" />

The crowd was cheering loudly, a dull roar in his ears just above the roaring of his blood. Shouts from the crowd, the announcer over the loudspeaker, the thumping of feet on the damp grass, it all mingled into the background as his focus was drawn to the two teams on the field.

Theo crouched behind the line of his teammates, shouting out orders to the team. The buzzer blared, and the teams were moving, Theo running around the defending line of team members. He dodged around an attacking opponent as he heard his name being called out. He looked behind him, seeing the ball flying in his direction. He jumped, arms outstretched. For a moment he thought he would miss, before the ball was firmly in his hands, and then his feet were back on the ground, and he was running, ball tucked tightly under his arm.

He dodged around another opposing team member, feeling clutching fingers trying to grab the back of his shirt. He skirted to the side, running out of the reach of the grasping fingers, and then the buzzer was going off again, and the loudspeaker was shouting “Touchdown!”

“That’s halftime everyone,” the announcer shouted through the speakers, loud enough to be heard over the cheering of the crowd. “The teams will be back on the field in fifteen minutes.”

Theo jogged over to the side of the field, gathering in a circle with his team around their coach. He gave them a few instructions, informing them of which positions they were going to play in once back on the field, before they were finally allowed to sit down and relax for a moment.

Rather than sitting down on the damp grass with his team, Theo instead turned to the stands, climbing up the short steps into the VIP seating. He eased his way down the row of seats, smiling when Liam moved his stuff from the seat beside him. He sat down with a sigh, smiling over at Liam.

“Hey babe,” Theo said softly, smiling wider as Liam leaned over and kissed him.

“You’re doing amazing out there Theo,” Liam said, turning Theo around and rubbing his shoulders. “You look amazing out there.” 

“Thank you,” Theo said with a lazy smile, leaning his head back against Liam’s shoulder.

“Ew, sweaty hair,” Liam said jokingly, bringing a hand up to run through Theo’s hair, lightly running his nails down his scalp. Theo laughed at Liam’s antics, rubbing the back of his head further into Liam’s shoulder.

“So, do you even know what’s happening?” Theo asked after a minute, lifting his head from Liam’s shoulder with a smile.

“Uh…” Liam said, coughing into his hand. “Not really. I know that scoring a touchdown is good, and that you’re a Wide Receiver. But… that’s about it.” 

“If you don’t know what’s going on, then why did you come tonight?” Theo asked, head cocked to the side. 

“You asked me to,” Liam said simply, a soft smile on his face. “And besides, it’s the last game before the Christmas break. I wanted to at least show my support for my boyfriend before the break starts.”

Theo smiled broadly at Liam, leaning forward and capturing Liam’s lips in a kiss. He pulled back, still smiling as he stood.

“I’ve got to get back down to the team, but are you up for dinner after the game?” Theo asked, scratching the back of his neck. He had a plan, and he needed to do it, soon. Josh had had a point when he’d gone to the hospital, and tonight was the night he was going to tell Liam everything.

“Of course. Anything for you,” Liam said, smiling just as broadly as Theo. “I’ll meet you just outside the locker room, yeah?”

Theo nodded, walking backwards down the stairs for a bit, before turning and jogging back down. His team needed him, and they were going to win. 

Before long, there were lined up on the field again, his coach’s inspiring words ringing in his ears. The buzzer sounded, and he was off, chasing after the ball. It changed hands a few times, before he got a hold of it, sprinting down the field. A member of the opposing team tackled him before he could get the touchdown, and he lost the ball.

The game passed in a blur of noise and colours. The ball was sometimes in his hands, most times not. Sometimes he was leaping through the air for it, and other times he was crashing to the ground in a tangle of limbs as he was tackled by the other team.

By the time the buzzer was sounding, Theo was covered in more bruises than he had been before, limping slightly from the last fall. But a smile was on his face, and the faces of his other team members, as they had won the final game of the season. 

A large podium was wheeled out onto the field, and Theo and the rest of his team got up, Theo holding the trophy high above his head. He couldn't help but beam wider than he was, as he saw Liam standing in the crowd, cheering him on. He couldn't hear Liam over the roaring of the crowd, but he could certainly tell Liam was happy for him.

He watched as Liam climbed down the stairs, limping slightly as he jogged over to the podium once the team had climbed off it, jumping into Theo’s arms and hugging him tightly. He planted a wet kiss to Theo’s lips, one Theo eagerly returned, before he pulled back, panting slightly.

“You were amazing out there,” Liam said, squeezing him tightly. “I’m so happy you won.”

“I’m happy you got to see it,” Theo said, shaking his head. Sweat flew in every direction, raining down on Liam. He didn't seem to care though, wiping his face clean with the sleeve of his jumper.

“You go and get cleaned up. I’ll be waiting outside for you,” Liam said into Theo’s ear, pressing a kiss to the side of his head.

Theo nodded, unable to stop smiling. Liam followed him to the doorway to the locker room, leaning against the wall beside it as Theo walked in with his teammates. The roar of the crowd became less audible, muffled by the concrete walls. It was chilly inside, but the heater, plus the accumulated body heat of the team, was quick to warm the place up.

“So, you got much planned tonight?” Josh asked, stripping off his shirt and throwing it into his locker. “We weren't exactly expecting to win, so I’m sure you have something planned.”

“Yeah, Liam and I are going out for dinner,” Theo said, loud enough to be heard over the other team members. “I’m planning on telling him about the bet tonight. He goes away to his parents in two days, so I figure I’ll give him time to think over it during the break. And if he still wants to be with me afterwards, then that’s great.”

“And if he doesn't want to be with you afterwards?” Josh asked quietly, turning to Theo. He had a worried look on his face, and he seemed genuinely concerned for Theo.

“I… haven't thought that far. I don't want to think about that potentially happening,” Theo said, hanging his head.

“You really are gone on him, aren't you?” Josh asked.

“Yeah, I am,” Theo admitted with a smile.

His elation over this revelation was short lived, however, when the door to the locker room slammed shut, loud enough to draw the attention of the team. Theo looked over to the door, seeing Matt standing just inside, a smirk dancing on his lips.

“I see your boy toy is waiting for you outside, Raeken,” he said, his voice loud enough to carry through the room. 

“He’s not a boy toy, Daehler,” Theo said, standing from his seat. “And he’s my boyfriend. I thought I beat enough sense into you the other night for you to remember that.”

“Ah, but he’s not really your boyfriend now, is he?” Matt said, stepping further into the room. “You haven't told him about that little bet of yours, have you?”

Theo’s blood ran cold, as he felt his stomach drop. He heard the sound of something hitting the floor outside the locker room, and he realised that Liam had heard him. Of course he had, Matt had made sure of it.

Matt smirked knowingly at Theo, an eyebrow arched. “Well, have you?” When Theo didn’t answer him, he laughed, high and cold. “You never told him that the only reason you started dating him was because you lost a bet?”

Theo felt his mouth run dry, the sinking feeling in his stomach growing the longer he stood there. He ignored Matt, hurrying out of the locker room, slamming the door shut behind him. He came to a standstill when he saw Liam, jaw slack, eyes glistening with unshed tears.

“Theo,” Liam said, his voice wavering. It broke Theo’s heart to see him like this, but he knew it was on him. “Theo… please tell me he’s lying.” 

Theo opened his mouth, a lie on his tongue, before he clicked it shut, shaking his head. Lying would do him no good. Not now, not with Liam.

He couldn't bring himself to look Liam in the eye when he spoke. “He’s not lying,” he said, voice carrying through the silence. “I… I only asked you out because I lost a bet.”

He didn't see the fist coming, but he sure felt it, pain flaring in his jaw as Liam’s fist connected with his face. He fell to the ground, sprawling out, Liam standing over him.

“How fucking dare you,” Liam growled out, eyes burning with rage. “Our whole relationship was just a fucking lie? What else did you lie about? That you liked me? That I was fun to hang around with? That I…” he trailed off, hiccupping as he spoke, his voice broken. “That you actually liked the way I looked?”

Theo’s mind ran, but he couldn't find the words to say anything. How could he prove that he hadn't been lying, when Liam had already said it? If their relationship had started out on a lie, what else had he lied about?

But he knew nothing he could say would console Liam. Now that the secret was out, he’d only begin to question everything Theo had said, everything he had done. So he remained silent, hoping that was enough.

“I fucking hate you,” Liam said into the silence, voice quavering. He seemed to be struggling to hold back the tears, and Theo didn't blame him. He commended him even, for holding out this long. But then the tears fell, and he started sobbing, and Theo had to fight the urge to get up and pull Liam into a hug. It was the last thing he needed right now. “You are an asshole, Theo. I want nothing to do with you, ever again.”

And with that, he turned on his heel, marching out down the corridor and out of sight.

Theo sighed, struggling to fight back his own tears, the sinking in his stomach making him nauseous. He opened the door to the locker room, his skin crawling as all eyes turned to him. But he couldn't bring himself to care, couldn't muster up the energy to tell them to stop staring. Matt continued to smirk at him, arms crossed as he watched Theo. He couldn't even bring himself to punch the smirk from his face. 

He dressed himself slowly, not bothering to shower. He thought he heard Josh saying something to him, but he wasn't listening. He just wanted to go home, he wanted to sleep. He wanted to forget that this had ever happened. 

As he walked out of the locker room and down the corridor, his heart heavy, he spied a crumpled-up piece of paper. He knelt down and picked it up, spreading it out. What he saw felt like a punch to the gut, and the tears he’d been holding back finally started to fall.

It was a drawing, coloured and styled in the familiar way Liam drew. It was of a familiar photo, and Theo pulled out his phone, unlocking it, staring at the background on his home screen. It was an exact replica from their first date, at the aquarium, Liam and Theo standing beside each other. Liam’s arm was around Theo’s waist, while Theo had his around Liam’s shoulder. They were both smiling, the both of them happy. 

A sob escaped Theo’s lips, and he fell back on his ass, sobbing. He leaned back, resting his head against the cold concrete wall, letting the tears fall. 

He wanted to take it all back, he wanted to go back and kick his own ass for never asking Liam out before the bet. Maybe, if he had, none of this would have happened. But there was no way he could change the past, and so he was left with an uncertain future with Liam.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Quick Warning before the start of this one. This Chapter has mentions of attempted rape, near the end. Nothing in detail, just more of a discussion on what happened.

" alt="Chapter 7" />

Theo lay in bed, one arm flung over his eyes. He couldn't move. Didn't want to move.

Someone was pounding against the door, and he groaned. He didn't want to get up. He didn't want to talk to someone right now. He just wanted to wallow in his own self despair until classes started up again. With classes came practice, and with practice came repetition. He’d be able to forget any of this happened, move on to someone else. He just needed time.

The sound of a key sliding into a lock floated to his ears, along with the loud click of the bolt unlocking, before the door was being swung open. Heavy footsteps made their way through Theo’s apartment, along with the sound of the door closing, before a second set of steps joined the first.

He could hear plastic bags jostling around, glass jars clinking together and cardboard boxes being set down on the counter. The first set of steps made their way through Theo’s apartment, followed by soft cursing and harsh comments. Theo knew that voice. Of course he would. It wasn't anything like Liam’s, but it was the familiarity of age that came with it.

The door to his room burst open, and letting in more light than Theo would like. He groaned, turning onto his side, his face turned away from the light. The person sighed, and Theo heard as they walked through the room.

“Don't,” Theo said, a moment too soon, before the blinds over his window were being pulled open. Sunlight streamed in, searing his eyes. He flung his arm over his eyes again, groaning in pain. This couldn't get any worse.

“Come on, you lazy ass,” Josh said, pulling at one of Theo’s arms. “Time for you to get up.”

“Is this really necessary?” Theo asked, eyes still closed. His head lolled from side to side as Josh attempted to pull him up, before he finally gave up and sat down beside Theo.

“Yes, Theo,” Josh said. “If you’re not going to try and get over him yourself, we’re going to help you.”

Theo sighed, opening his eyes. Josh was smiling down at him softly, in a way very few people could without being punched. It was something that came with being friends for as long as they had.

“And what do you have in mind?” Theo asked, sitting up finally, crossing his legs in the middle of the bed.

“Well, Ethan’s out there sorting out some food,” Josh said, gripping Theo’s knee and shaking him lightly. “I’m thinking… waffles. How do you like the sound of that?”

Theo smiled softly, the weight of everything from the past week easing a little. “I like the sound of that,” he said softly, rubbing the heels of his palms into his eyes. “I am rather hungry.”

“I thought so,” Josh said. “You go and have a shower, while we sort things out. You reek.”

Theo took an experimental sniff, gagging at the smell. “Yep, can't fault you there,” he said, holding a hand over his nose.

He clambered off the bed, grabbing his phone and a fresh pair of clothes, or what he hoped was a fresh pair of clothes, before he made his way into the bathroom. He turned the water on, adjusting the temperature, before he pulled up Spotify on his phone and pressed play on the first song he saw, turning the volume to max. He stripped off his clothes, stepping into the hot stream of water, sighing as he felt his muscles relax.

Theo scrubbed himself down as the lyrics washed over him, crashing into him like waves. He couldn't help but let his mind wander as he washed himself. That bubble of guilt that had been growing since his first date with Liam had burst a week ago, leaching into every thought he had about him. He couldn't help it. Everything just seemed… off without Liam.

What made it worse was how Liam had been. He’d seen him the day Liam had left to go to his parents, and he’d seemed… dead. Hollow. Like the light was on, but nobody was home. That had felt worse, knowing Liam was like that because of him. It had hurt more than the punch Liam had sent to his jaw, and even that still hurt.

Once he was clean, he shut off the water, stepping out of the shower. Goosebumps appeared all over his body, the cold air of the bathroom chilling him to the bone despite the previous heat of the shower. He toweled himself dry, slowly, before slipping into sweats and a hoodie he’d grabbed. He picked up his phone, turning off the music and slipping it into his pocket.

He padded out of the bathroom barefoot, smiling softly at Josh and Ethan as they moved around his little kitchen. Josh was like a brother to him in all but blood, with how close they were, and he loved watching the soft smiles and kisses he and Ethan shared. He could tell they were going to last.

The thought made his smile fall, and he shook his head. He wanted to be happy, even if it was just for show. But it was hard. He didn't feel happy, and he didn't want to fake it just to make his friends happy.

“You feeling any better?” Ethan asked, setting down a mixing bowl.

“A little,” Theo admitted, nodding his head. He sat down at the counter, hands clasped in the pocket of his hoodie. “Not great, but better than I was.”

“That’s good to hear,” Ethan said. “We’ve got some stuff planned for today, to get your mind off of him.”

Theo noticed that Ethan didn't say Liam’s name, and he didn't know if he should be greatful or not. He was the one to hurt Liam, not the other way around.

Josh seemed to realise what he was thinking, as he said, “You can say his name, Ethan. I think it might help him get over Liam a little more.”

Ethan shrugged his shoulders as he rummaged through Theo’s drawers, pulling out a ladle and scooping some waffle mix onto the press. The plate hissed as the mixture started cooking, before he brought the top down, letting both sides cook.

Josh, meanwhile, slid a plate over to him with some bacon and a fried egg, along with a knife and fork. “Eat, you’re going to feel better once you have some food in you.” He slid over a glass of orange juice, raising an eyebrow in challenge.

Breakfast passed rather quickly, Ethan cooking up what Theo thought to be a little too many waffles. He didn’t complain, Ethan’s waffles were some of the best. But he knew he’d be putting a few extra hours into the gym once classes started up again just to burn it all off. They all ate in silence, Josh batting him away from the sink as he washed up everything. Ethan wandered off, picking up old and dirty clothes as he went. He ended up finding a washing basket, easily filling it with what he held in his arms, before he wandered off to the laundry. Theo heard some banging, before the washing machine started up. He sat there as he watched the two of them clean up his apartment, making it neater and more suitable for living in.

“You guys don't have to do this,” Theo said softly, while Josh was pulling out the vacuum.

“Hey, you did it for me when Jackson and I broke up. It’s about time I returned the favour,” he smiled broadly at Theo, walking over and pulling him in for a one armed hug. “Trust me, before long, everything will feel like a dream.”

“But… what if I don't want it to be?” Theo asked brokenly.

Josh sighed, moving to stand in front of him. He gripped Theo’s shoulders tightly, looking into his eyes imploringly. “Listen, I know you were happy with Liam. Really happy. I haven't seen you that happy in a long time. But… I get it. It took a long time for me to get over Jackson, and he… he wasn't the best of boyfriends.” Theo snorted, and Josh shook his head with a smile. “Look. There’s only so much Ethan and I can do. You need to get to that point on your own. And, if you manage to get a hold of Liam, and you both get back together… we’ll be behind you all the way. But if not, we’ll still be here.”

Theo took a shaky breath, nodding his head. Josh was right, of course.

“Have you… have you tried getting in touch with him?” Josh asked, his voice going quiet.

“I tried,” Theo said, pulling his phone out and unlocking it. He passed it over to Josh, who took it from him silently.

“He blocked you?” Josh asked, looking up from the screen. Theo nodded slowly, not looking up. Josh sighed, handing the phone back. “I can't blame him for doing it. I did the same to Jackson. But...why don't you try his friends? What were their names again?”

“Mason and Corey,” Theo said softly. He shook his head, looking up at Josh. “Neither of them will want to talk to me though.”

“Are you sure?” Josh asked.

Theo opened his mouth to answer, but he was saved from answering as Ethan walked in.

“I couldn't find where to put this,” he said, holding up the book Liam had lent him.

“That’s because it’s not mine,” he said, standing from his seat and taking it from Ethan. “Liam lent it to me, a couple days before he found out.”

“Well, it gives you a chance to talk to him,” Josh said, a cheery smile on his face. “You can return it when he gets back and explain yourself when you do.”

“I don't know,” Theo began, before Ethan shushed him.

“Do what he says. He knows what he’s saying,” Ethan said with a smile. “Now, go and get changed into something more appropriate for going out. Josh and I should be finished around here in about… ten minutes.”

“Why do I need to get changed?” Theo asked, setting the book down on his coffee table. “I’m comfortable as is.”

“We’re going out. All three of us.”

Theo looked between the two of them, a dozen questions on the tip of his tongue. But the only one he voiced was, “Why?”

“Cause you need a distraction, that’s why. Now go, get changed. And make sure you rug up. It’s fucking cold outside,” Josh said, shooing him out of the living room.

Despite the pit in his stomach, Theo couldn't help but smile. He had some amazing friends, and he was going to get through this, one way or another.

***

He wasn't getting through this.

His day had gone much better than he had thought. Josh and Ethan showing up and looking after him, then taking him to the movies. They’d even bought him the newest  _ Assassin’s Creed _ game since he’d been too busy to go out and buy it when it was released.

But now he was home alone, his PlayStation slowly powering through the lengthy installation and many updates the game had. He was left with his own thoughts, with no way to distract himself from them. He’d tried reading  _ An Echo of things to Come _ , but he’d gotten through a chapter before he had to stop, his thoughts consumed as he wondered what Liam might be up to. He’d tried watching a movie, but even that wasn't distracting enough.

Now, he was bundled up in the sweats and hoodie he’d been in earlier, a blanket wrapped around his shoulders as he scrolled through his photos. His face lit only by the lights of his TV and phone, he looked through the many photos he had saved of him and Liam, their time at the aquarium, standing in front of the tanks of fish. Photos of their date at the museum, Liam making weird faces at some of the displays. They helped bring a smile to his lips, and tears to his eyes.

He kept scrolling, his eyesight becoming more and more blurry as more tears pooled in his eyes. He came to a stop on one, wiping away the tears with the sleeve of his hoodie. It was a group photo, at Liam’s place. The night the six of them had all gathered at Liam’s playing Mortal Kombat and Mario Kart. Josh’s words from earlier floated to the forefront of his mind.

He took a quick glance at the time, nodding when he noticed it was only half past seven. He pulled up his contacts, his thumb hovering over the entry, before he paused.

Would he answer? Had he blocked Theo’s number, like Liam had? He shook his head, tapping the call button, and pressing the phone to his ear.

He waited as the call connected, the pause between each ring feeling like an eternity. When the call finally connected, it was to the sound of his message bank.

Theo hung up, quickly redialling the number and pressing the device back to his ear. It rang twice this time, before the call connected, and a weary sigh rang down the line.

“Raeken,” Mason’s voice sounded out, anger clear in his tone. “Calling to beg for a chance to talk to Liam, are you?”

Theo opened his mouth, before shutting it again with a click. What did he intend on doing, exactly? Mason probably hated him, just as much as Liam did. He was never going to give Theo the chance to talk to Liam.

“I’m guessing that’s a yes,” Mason said. Theo heard some rustling, but couldn't tell what it was. “Well, I can tell you now, I’m not letting you anywhere near him again. I knew there was something off about you, from the moment you asked Liam out. And he deserves so much better than you.”

“Mason, who’s that on the phone?” Another voice sounded down the line, distant.

“No one important Corey,” Mason said, his voice a little distant, before his voice was clearer again. “I’m telling you this once, and once only. You are an utter asshole, and you are nothing compared to Liam. Once I hang up, I’m going to be blocking you on everything. Do I make myself clear?”

Theo gulped, nodding his head. He realised Mason couldn’t see him, so he let out a soft “Yes.”

“Good,” Mason said. There was a pause, before Mason said, “I hope I never lay eyes on you again.”

And the line went dead.

Theo slumped back against the couch, his phone held loosely in his hand. That had been really unhelpful, and had only served to sour his mood some more. He sighed, setting his phone down on the coffee table, beside Liam’s book. He’d just grabbed his controller, when his phone buzzed, and he jumped in his seat.

He set the controller down, hesitantly picking up his phone. It was just a message, from an unknown number. He opened it up, reading its contents.

**_Unknown:_ ** _ Corey here. I have the day off tomorrow, while Mason has work. I’m giving you one chance to explain yourself, and one chance only. Meet me at this address at noon tomorrow if you want to talk. _

His phone buzzed again with a street address. He copied the address into Google Maps, and was surprised to find it was a small cafe not far from his apartment.

He sent the number a quick reply, telling Corey he would be there, before setting his phone down again. He was surprised Corey was even giving him the chance, and he’d try his best to make his point known.

When he went to bed four hours later, he couldn't help but let the small ray of hope shine in his chest. Because maybe, just maybe, if he explained himself well enough to Corey, he might get another chance with Liam.

It was a long shot, true. But he slept better that night, knowing he just might have a chance.

***

A bell rang overhead as Theo pushed open the door, stepping into the little corner cafe. It had a cozy feel to it, and Theo couldn't blame Corey for telling him to meet him here.

A quick glance around the cafe told Theo that he was the first one here out of the two of them, and so he stepped up to the counter. He waited patiently, hands in the pocket of his hoodie as someone made their way out of the kitchen. He idly heard the bell over the door ring again, but was pinned to his spot by a glare as Hayden stepped out of the kitchen.

“What do you want asshole?” she growled out. She shook her head, cooling her features. “No, you know what. Don't answer that. If you’re here to ask about Liam, I’m not answering anything.”

He felt a hand on his shoulder, pulling him back a few steps. He stumbled back, catching his balance just in time, turning to berate whoever it was, but freezing in his tracks. It was Corey.

He had a frown on his face, like he didn't want to be here. He seemed conflicted, like he wanted to say something to Hayden, but at the same time, he didn't want to seem like he was standing up for Theo.

So instead, he said, “Can I get a coffee? My regular, please.” He turned to Theo, grimacing. “You’re paying.”

Theo shrugged his shoulder, but nodded his head. If it meant Corey would listen to him, he would pay for anything the other boy ordered.

Hayden rang up the order, turning to Theo, a grimace on her face. Theo placed his own order for coffee, handing over the cash.

“Keep the rest for the tip,” Theo said, burying his hands in his pockets.

She eyed him curiously, her eyes flicking between him and the note in her hand. She finally said, “You do know this is a fifty, right?”

Theo sighed, nodding his head. “Just keep the change” he said, before he followed Corey, sitting across from him in a booth near the back.

They sat together in an awkward silence, waiting for one of them to talk. The silence seemed to grow between them, something that became harder and harder to break the more time passed.

“One large mocha, and one large cappuccino,” Hayden said a couple of minutes later, placing the drinks in front of them. She stood there for a moment, sighing, before sitting down next to Corey. She fished around in her pocket, sliding the change across the table to Theo.

“I said to keep it as a tip,” Theo began, but Hayden cut him off.

“I know,” she said quietly, glaring at the small pile of money. “But… as much as I want to hate you right now, I can't accept such a generous tip.”

Theo paused, his mocha held to his lips, before he slowly lowered it back to the table. He licked his lips, tasting the drink, before he asked, “And… why would that be?”

“I think, what she’s trying to say,” Corey spoke up, as the silence began to stretch out again. “That there is more to your story than you’re telling us. And that… we might think of you as an asshole, but you’re actually a good person.”

“Yeah, that’s what I meant,” she said, pointing to Corey.

Theo sighed, sliding the money back over. “Please, just take the money. It’s the least I can do.”

Hayden opened her mouth, no doubt to protest yet again, before closing it. She silently slid the change back over to her, slipping it back into her pocket. There was a pause before she said “Thank you.”

The silence stretched between them again, but it was less awkward this time. Theo slowly sipped at his coffee, enjoying the taste.

“So… let's get down to sorting out why we’re here today,” Corey said finally, leaning against the table, his arms crossed. “Liam said… he said that you two had broken up. He said something about a bet, but I wasn't too sure what he meant. Care to explain what he meant?”

Theo sighed, nodding his head. “Straight for the gut, huh?” he asked, letting out a snort of laughter. “Okay, uh… where do I begin?”

He thought about it for a moment, before he nodded to himself.

“I suppose I should start with the bet itself,” Theo began. He paused, waiting for Corey and Hayden to nod, before he began talking. “Well, it started out like it normally did, with a game of beer pong. My friend, Josh, and I have this thing, where the loser has to do whatever the winner asks. I lost the game, and the next day Josh said that my part of the bet was to ask Liam out on a date.”

“What was his reasoning?” Corey asked, shaking his head. “That doesn't seem like something any ordinary person would agree to.”

“You’re right, it doesn't,” Theo said, nodding in agreement. “But.. the thing is, Josh and I have known each other since we were in kindergarten. And, we can be rather competitive. It can be… a little annoying at times, but we’ve gotten to know each other so well we know exactly what to say to get each other to do something, even when we don't want to.”

“So… you didn’t want to ask Liam out?” Hayden asked, leaning forward as well.

“Well… not exactly. I mean, I thought he was cute, but I didn’t think that was a good enough excuse to ask him out. I knew I’d been something of an asshole to him in the past, not really caring about him complaining about the noise and all. But… you have to remember, the night before, he’d threatened to get me evicted. I wasn't exactly happy to be asking him out, even though I had a crush on him.”

“But you still asked him out because of the bet, right?” Corey asked, draining the last of his drink.

Theo nodded, before he spoke again. “Yeah, I did. But I quickly started feeling guilty about it, but I couldn’t think of a good way to bring it up.”

“Of course there isn’t,” Hayden said with a scoff.

“Look, I know there’s no easy way to bring it up Hayden,” Theo said, a little louder than he’d expected. He took a deep breath, letting it out before speaking again. “Look, I know I was screwed the moment I started to realise I _ liked _ spending time with him. I couldn’t bring it up without breaking his heart. And then I got into a fight with Matt about two weeks ago cause he was being an asshole.”

“Matt was the one that said it, didn’t he? That practically shouted it to the team,” Corey butted in, and Theo nodded. “Why’d you get into a fight with him?”

“He found out about the bet,” Theo said. “As an apology to Liam, I stopped holding parties at my apartment. And Matt wasn't happy, since my place was the largest anyone on the team had. So we were able to fit more people in. We got into an argument, and I tried to walk away. He called me a faggot and Liam my ‘faggy boy toy’. I… broke his nose, beat the shit out of him. He broke mine back, but Josh and Ethan pulled me off him before either of us got any more hurt.”

“And let me guess. Matt brought it up as some form of sick revenge?” Hayden asked, and Theo nodded.

“The worst part about that was that I was planning on telling Liam that night any way,” Theo said despondently. He twirled his finger around the rim of the mug, trying to organise his thoughts.

Silence fell between the three of them, and Theo couldn’t help but think that he should leave. He stilled his movements, laying his palms flat on the table.

“Look, I get it. I’m an arse, and I never deserved Liam’s attention in the first place,” Theo said, pushing himself up. But a hand shot out, gripping his wrist, and he stilled in his movements. He looked up, watching Hayden and Corey converse silently.

After a moment, they nodded, before Hayden turned to face Theo. “Do you have anything important to do?”

Theo lowered himself back down into his seat, shaking his head. “No, nothing. Maybe some grocery shopping, but that’s about it.”

Hayden nodded again, loosening her grip on Theo’s wrist and pulling it back.

“We… think you should know why Liam reacted so badly,” Corey said, leaning forward. “I mean, what you did was an incredibly shitty thing to do, we’re not denying that. But… there’s more to the story.”

He rested his elbows against the table, his hands tapping a soft beat against the top of the table. He paused, as if thinking, before nodding his head. “Did Liam… ever tell you about Brett?”

Theo slowly shook his head, his curiosity growing as he eyed the two of them.

“Who is he?” Theo asked, looking between the two of them.

“He’s Liam’s ex boyfriend,” Hayden said quietly. She was leaning forward like Corey, elbows rested on the table. But she held her hands clasped together, fingers twitching lightly. “Brett was… Brett was an asshole.”

“Saying he was an asshole is an offense to assholes,” Corey said, looking Theo in the eye. “He was an abusive motherfucker who didn’t give a shit about Liam.”

Theo flinched back at the venom in Corey’s voice. He’d never heard the normally meek boy sound so… hateful.

“Should you really be telling me this?” Theo asked, worry filling his tone. “This sounds like something Liam should be telling me.”

“It’s better to ask for forgiveness than for permission,” Corey said, before shaking his head.

Hayden took over when she spoke next. “It’s always the person you least expect. We’d known Brett since high school, and while he’d been an asshole, he seemed to have… mellowed out by the time we got to college. They’d been dancing around each other for months before we finally sat them down and told them to get their act together.”

“It started with the little things,” Corey said softly. “He started hanging with us less, and the few times we did he’d be tired, bruised and always in a rush. There was probably a good three months before we saw him again one time, and that was only because he got sent to the hospital.”

“What happened?” Theo asked, his voice filled with horror.

“We… think Brett… we think he tried to roofie Liam,” Hayden said, her voice cracking. “Brett took him to the hospital to get his stomach pumped, but I was still listed as his next of kin, so I was contacted. When we got there, we knew straight away something was off. Liam was covered in bruises, pale. He looked like he hadn’t eaten in awhile. Liam always had an issue with his body weight, and we think Brett knew that too.”

“Any way, Liam was in hospital for a number of things,” Corey said, his voice calm, but tinged with anger. “But, they pumped his stomach and found traces of both alcohol and Rohypnol in his system. They think he was too drunk, and that the added Rohypnol in his system was too much and he fell unconscious.”

“But what happened with Brett?” Theo asked, looking between the two of them. “I was told in Bio Chem that even possessing it can earn you prison time.”

“Why were you learning about Rohypnol in Bio Chem?” Corey asked, arching an eyebrow.

“It was one of those classes where we went into detail about noticing how someone is reacting while under the influence, and how best to get the person to somewhere safe and away from a potential rapist. We tested it on mice.”

“Oh, that’s actually… that’s pretty good of your teacher,” Hayden said, blinking in surprise. She shook her head, tapping her chin as she thought. “Uh… where were we, anyway? Uh...right, yes. Because they found the Rohypnol in his system, the hospital immediately called the police, and they made Brett empty his pockets so they could do a search. They found a couple more pills on him, and he was immediately arrested. The judge had no sympathy for Brett and sent him immediately to prison.”

“He’s a year into a three year sentence,” Corey said. “Longest they could give him.”

“Okay…” Theo said, trailing off. “So… what does this have to do with me?”

“Look, when Liam found out what happened with Brett, he was devastated,” Corey said. “The fact that the man who apparently loved him had attempted to rape him, had successfully roofied him, it… sent him spiraling. Everything Brett had said about him  _ before _ the abuse started was put into question. By the time we helped pull him out of the hole he’d fallen into… there was a lot about himself that he didn’t like.”

“It’s why Mason was so adamant about you not dating Liam,” Hayden said. “We knew what had happened the last time an asshole we’d known dated Liam, and it didn’t end well. He was wary of what an asshole we  _ didn’t  _ previously know would do to him.”

Theo nodded, ducking his head. “And so now Liam’s gone into the same spiral. Because our relationship started on a lie, he doesn’t know if what I said during it was true or not.” Theo shook his head, tears slowly pooling in his eyes. “No wonder he hates me.”

A long silence stretched between the three of them, one that quickly became uncomfortable. Theo twitched in his seat, not knowing what to do.

“Do you think we should tell him?” Hayden asked, her voice low. Theo didn’t know if he was meant to hear it or not.

“I think so,” Corey whispered back. “Mason isn’t too happy with it, but… it’s Liam’s decision, after all.”

“What’s Liam’s decision?” Theo asked, bringing his gaze up to look at them. He tried his best to stifle the flare of hope that was growing in his chest.

They looked at each other again, before looking towards Theo. Hayden was the first to speak.

“Liam… he wants answers. He’s the kind of person who won’t stop until he gets them. He… didn’t get the chance to get them from Brett. But… he wants answers from you,” she said. “He doesn’t want to hear it from us this time. He wants to hear it from you, and he wants to make a decision based off of that.”

“What… what decision?” Theo asked, unable to stop the hope filling his voice.

Corey shook his head. “That’s all we’re telling you, Theo. You need to understand, though. Whatever Liam’s decision, we will stand by him. If he wants nothing to do with you, neither do we.”

Theo nodded his head, the flame of hope now smothered. “I… I understand.”

He pulled his phone out, checking the time. He was surprised to see that it was 1:30. Had they really been sitting there for over an hour?

“Look, thank you for letting me sit and talk,” Theo said, his voice shaky and raw with emotion. There was a lot he had to actually sit down and think about. Maybe even cry over once he got home. “Do you… do you know when Liam will be back?”

“Sometime after New Years,” Corey said, giving Theo a soft smile. “I’m sure everything will work out in the end, Theo.”

“Yeah, I hope so too,” he said. “Thanks again for the talk. I’ll be seeing you around, maybe.”

Hayden and Corey said their goodbyes, before Theo left. He had a lot to think about, and over a week to do so. But all he  _ could _ think about right now was the decision Liam had, and what exactly they had meant by that.

Could he really hope that he had another chance with Liam? Or were they just building up his hopes, only to watch them shatter for their own amusement?


	8. Chapter 8

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“Liaaaam… it’s time to get up,” a high-pitched voice screamed, followed by the patter of feet.

The edge of his mattress dipped down, before a body landed on him. Giggles and high-pitched laughs echoed through the room as tiny hands tried to shake Liam awake.

“Liaaam… why aren't you getting up?” Connor screeched. “It’s Christmas. You can't sleep in on Christmas.”

Liam couldn't help but smile, his pillow covering his face. He stayed as still as he could, waiting for a moment of stillness from his little brother, before he threw the covers back and flung them over Connor, pulling him in for a hug.

Connor thrashed for a moment, giggling as Liam tickled his sides, screeching for him to stop. Liam hugged him closer, tightening his hold.

“Liam… Liam, stop, please,” Connor screeched.

Liam let go, smiling as Connor rolled over, hovering over him, his little fists resting on Liam’s chest, holding him up.

“Well, I’m guessing Dad and Pop are up, with how loudly you woke me up,” Liam said, smiling up at his little brother.

“Yeah, we are,” Markus, Liam’s dad, said.

Liam looked over, watching his father leaning against the door frame, smiling softly at the two of them.

“We wanted to let you sleep in a little bit, but Connor wouldn't have it any other way,” Markus said. “We bought you another hour, but he couldn't wait. Something about wanting to give you his present.”

“Daaad. That was a secret,” Connor cried out. “You weren't meant to tell him.”

Markus laughed, walking over to the bed and picking Connor up. “Well, I know for a fact that he’s bought something for you. Does that help?”

Connor nodded his head vigorously, and Markus smiled. “I’ll let you get ready Liam,” he said. “I’ll get this little menace some breakfast, while you get ready.”

“Okay Dad,” Liam said softly. He waved to Connor, who waved back, before Markus turned the corner and they were out of sight.

The smile on Liam’s face dropped instantly, and he fell back into his pillows. He was so not ready to deal with christmas. Not like this.

He couldn't help but let his mind wander to Theo. What was he doing today? Did he have any plans? Had he already moved on from Liam? Liam couldn't hold back the tears at the thought of Theo fucking another guy, or girl. He buried his face in the pillow, clenching his eyes shut, trying to stem the flow. 

_ Not today _ , he thought to himself,  _ just go out there, and be happy. You’re with family. _

He groaned as he pulled himself up from his pillows. His knee was stiff, the cold seeping in through his window making it difficult to move. He hobbled over to his ensuite,relieving himself and brushing his teeth, before he shuffled his way down the stairs.

He smiled as he watched his dads playing with Connor in front of the tree, a large pile of presents sitting beneath it. David was the first to look up, smiling broadly at Liam.

“Merry Christmas Liam,” he called up, waving. He pointed to a mug sitting on the coffee table. “I made you your coffee, just the way you like it.”

Liam felt a smile tugging at the corners of his lips as he made his way further down the stairs. Despite a roaring fire, there was still a hint of cold to the air of the house, and Liam couldn't help but rub his arms to warm himself up.

“Thanks Pop,” Liam said, padding over to the mug. He drank a mouthful, sighing as the warm liquid warmed him quickly. “You are a godsend, Pop.”

“Well, I wouldn't say that,” David said.

He stood from where he’d been laying on the floor, and pulled Liam into a hug, careful not to spill the coffee.

“Merry Christmas again,” he said, kissing Liam on the top of the head. He went and picked up a package from under the tree, before handing it to him. “I hope you like what I got you.”

Liam hesitantly took the package from him, turning it around in his hands. It was heavy, but not too heavy so as to make him think it was something out of the ordinary. He turned it on its side, sticking a nail under the tape and tearing it off, before unwrapping it. He was surprised to find a drawing tablet for his computer, one he’d been eyeing off for a couple of months.

“Holy shit, you got it?” Liam gasped.

He looked up at David, a broad smile on his face, before he pulled the man in for a hug.

“Thank you,” he said softly. He smiled as David wrapped his arms around him, squeezing him lightly.

“Daaad, you said I could give Li his first present,” Connor shouted. He ran over to them, gripping the legs of their pants in each fist. “Can I give him his next present?”

“Of course you can Connor,” Markus said from where he was standing by the tree.

He knelt down in front of the tree, pulling out a slim package. Connor ran over to him, grabbing the package in his hands, before running back to Liam.

“Here you go Li,” Connor said, a goofy grin on his face. “Merry Christmas.”

Liam knelt down in front of Connor, ruffling his hair with one hand as he took the present from him with the other. “Thank you Connor. But before I open this, I’ve got something for you.”

Connor’s face lit up like a Christmas tree, and Liam couldn't help but chuckle as he walked over to the actual tree. He pulled a large wrapped package out from under the tree, sliding it across the floor to Connor.

“Merry Christmas Connor,” Liam said. “I hope you enjoy it.”

Connor didn't hesitate, tearing off the wrapping and revealing what was underneath. He gasped, followed by Markus and David once they saw what Liam had bought for him.

“Liam… you shouldn't have,” Markus said, eyeing the box.

“I didn't have to, yesM” Liam said, shrugging. “But I wanted to. He’s my little brother. I wanted to spoil him.”

“But … Lego isn't cheap,” David said, crossing his arms. “Especially this set.”

“I know,” Liam said, looking down at the box. It was the largest set of Harry Potter Lego ever released, of the entirety of Hogwarts Castle. “But… I missed his birthday. And I wanted to make it up to him.”

“If you’re sure…” Markus began, but was cut off when Connor squealed.

“Thank you, thank you, thank you,” Connor yelled out, running over and hugging Liam tightly. Liam hugged him back.

“You deserve it after all,” Liam said softly. Connor smiled broadly, and Liam couldn't help but smile back, that feeling of longing receding slightly as he did.

“Are you going to open yours?” Connor asked, pointing at the package still in Liam’s hands.

“Yeah, I will buddy,” Liam said.

He lowered himself down, sitting cross legged on the ground. Connor was quick to sit in his lap, and Liam squeezed him in a hug, before he started unwrapping the present. It was a small box, like one you would get from a jewelry store. Liam looked at Connor from the corner of his eye, before opening the box.

He gasped, almost dropping it, but managed to stop himself, holding the box tight in one hand. He reached in with the other, pulling out a silver chain. It was rather heavy, with a large anchor hanging off it, in a darker silver to the chain.

“Connor… It’s beautiful,” Liam said in awe. He looked down at Connor, still sitting in his lap. “Thank you.”

He pulled Connor into a tight hug, kissing the top of his head. When he pulled back, he put the necklace on, feeling the weight settle around him. It was… comforting, in a way Liam never knew it could be. The anchor rested part way down his neck, just below the collar of his shirt.

“You are the best little brother anyone could ask for, you know that?” Liam asked. He picked Connor up, carrying him over to the couch, and setting him down gently. “I’m sure Dad and Pop will be spoiling you well today.”

“Oh, we will be,” David said. He laughed as Connor sat up straight, bouncing in his seat, while Markus knelt down and grabbed another present out from under the tree.

“Let’s begin, shall we?”

***

The rest of the day passed rather quickly. Connor tore through the presents he was given, laughing and shrieking every time he unwrapped something. Liam moved much slower, going through his small pile of presents at a snail’s pace, much like David and Markus did with their own.

Christmas lunch was a small affair between the four of them, with David cooking up a small, but filling, roast beef, with sides of roast potato and peas and beans.

After lunch, Connor tore into the Lego set Liam had bought him, slowly wading through the mountain of pieces and putting it all together. He was smart for his age, following each step intently, making sure each piece was the right one before putting it in place. Liam couldn't help but smile at the way he enjoyed building the castle.

“So, Liam,” Markus said not long after. Liam was drying off a plate, helping David with the dishes. “What’s gotten you so down in the dumps lately?”

Liam froze minutely, before he kept moving, putting the dry plate away before picking up a new one.

“Who says that there’s anything wrong?” he asked after a few moments of silence.

Markus crossed his arms, leaning against the counter. David stopped cleaning the pan he was on, turning to Liam as he dried his hands.

“Your dad has a valid point Liam,” David said, leaning against the sink. “What’s wrong?”

“Does something  _ have _ to be wrong?” Liam asked. But he knew he was being difficult, just prolonging the inevitable.

“It certainly seems like it,” Markus said. He sighed, running a hand through his hair. “If you ever want help, you can always come to us, you do know that. Right?”

Liam nodded, letting out a breath. He set the towel down, pacing through the kitchen for a moment, before pulling himself up to sit on the counter.

“I… I fell for someone,” Liam said quietly, soft enough that only they could hear.

“I’m guessing it didn't go well?” David asked, frowning.

“It did. Well… kinda,” Liam sighed, kicking his legs out. He shook his head. “Two days before I left to come back here, I found out he only asked me out because of a bet.”

“And… what’s the problem with that? Did he?” Markus asked, head cocked to the side.

“He admitted to as much, yes,” Liam said, shaking his head. “But… what do you mean?”

“You do know your dad asked me out because of a dare, right?” David asked. Liam watched as he walked across the kitchen, standing beside Markus. He pulled him into a one-armed hug, kissing him on the cheek.

“You two never told me how you got together,” Liam said. “And I was too young to remember when you did.”

“Markus here asked me out because of a dare,” David said, smiling softly. “He’d just broken up with your mother not too long ago when he got into a fight. He ended up with a bloody nose and was dared to ask me out for twenty bucks.”

“But you both knew it was because of a dare,” Liam said, shaking his head. “This is different. I didn't know about the bet until we’d been dating for two months. And it was to find out that it was to stop me from complaining about the parties he held next door.”

“That is an immensely shitty thing to do,” David said, shaking his head.

But Markus seemed curious, stilling David with a hand on his shoulder.

“Up until you found out about the bet, did anything seem… out of the ordinary to you?” he asked.

“Uh… there was that first week we started dating,” Liam said, scratching the back of his neck. “Uh… he’d asked me out, and he said he’d organise what we were going to do. It got to the day before we were going to go on a date, and he still hadn't organised anything. He said he was busy with classes and practice, and I didn't bother to think any further about it.”

There was a pause before Markus asked, “Do you miss him?”

Liam’s head shot up, looking at Markus, before slowly nodding. “Yeah, I do.” He shook his head, ridding his mind of those thoughts. “That still doesn't change the fact that he lied.”

“But why is that?” David asked, pity filling his voice.

Liam shook his head, the words sticking in his throat. He felt like the world would end if he did. But he opened his mouth anyway, the words slipping out, soft and quiet.

“I felt safe with him.”

Two pairs of arms immediately wrapped around him, pulling him in tight as tears fell from his eyes. He couldn't stop the sobs that wracked his body, and he didn't feel like stopping them, even if he could.

They stayed like that for what felt like ages, Liam wrapped up tightly in between his dads. Their presence helped him feel better, if only slightly, and he couldn't help but be thankful for them.

“What do you want us to do?” Markus said after a while. He pulled away enough to look Liam in the eye. “Or… should I ask, what are you going to do?”

Liam shook his head, and shrugged his shoulders. “I… I don't know. I want to talk to him, get an explanation… but…” He trailed off, the words stilling in his throat.

“What, Liam?” David asked softly.

Liam took a deep, shuddering breath, before letting it out slowly.

“I miss him, and I want to see him again,” Liam said. David and Markus nodded in understanding, staying silent. “But...what he did...can I ever forgive him? And Mason keeps telling me to ignore him, to move on. But...how do I ignore him? He’s my neighbour. We dated for two months. I... I think I love him.”

“Hey, hey, hey. Nothing is simple Liam,” Markus said. He shifted, standing in front of Liam, staring deep into his eyes. “If you miss him so much… if he made you feel safer than any of us have since… that bastard, you go talk to him. Or, you could just… move on, meet someone else. The choice is yours. You just need to decide.”

Liam took another shuddering breath, nodding as he did.

“You’re right,” Liam said. He pulled the two of them into another hug, sniffling softly. “You two are the best dads anyone could ask for.”

“We know buddy, we know,” David said softly, kissing Liam on the side of the head.

They stayed like that for a few moments, before Markus let go, turning around. Connor stood behind him, lightly tugging on his shirt.

“Can Liam come and play with me? I need some help,” he asked. His eyes were bright and hopeful, and Liam couldn't help but smile.

He slid off the counter, wobbling slightly as his knee threatened to give up on him, before he knelt down in front of Connor.

“Of course I can come play with you buddy. What do you need help with?” Liam asked, wiping away a few stray tears.

Connor cocked his head to the side, a curious look on his face. “What were you crying about, Li?”

Liam chuckled lightly, wiping his eyes clean. “Nothing you should worry about. Now, what did you need help with?”

Connor immediately started babbling about what he needed help with, and Liam listened intently, nodding and humming when needed. He followed Connor back out into the lounge room, sitting down in a small clearing of Lego. Connor sat in his lap, pulling over the booklet of instructions.

“See here Li. I don't get it,” he whined. Liam smiled, quickly scanning over the page.

“Okay, I think I know what to do,” Liam said, pulling over a pile of Lego bricks.

He spent the rest of the day like that, helping Connor build his Lego set. He couldn't shake the conversation he’d had with his dads, though, and he knew that, in the near future, he would need to confront Theo.

But for now, he was content to ignore it all and focus on entertaining his little brother.

***

Liam fiddled with his phone, idly wondering what he was going to say. It had been a long two weeks, catching up with family, celebrating Christmas and New Years. He already missed Connor, and his dads. Despite that, his classes started back up in a few days, and he knew he had to go back to college.

But going back meant he would be closer to Theo. And his mind was still in turmoil over everything. He wanted to be closer to Theo, to hug him, to have Theo holding him, keeping him safe. But… he couldn't help but remember that night, after the game. How easily Theo had admitted to dating him because of a bet. How he hadn't bothered trying to prove Matt’s words wrong.

He didn't know if he should be glad that Theo didn’t try to lie even more, or not.

But now he sat in the back of a taxi, the city streets passing by quickly. His mind kept running a mile a minute, jumping from one thought to the next, wondering what on earth he was going to do.

Before he knew it, and sooner than he would have liked, the taxi was pulling up outside of his apartment building. The driver pulled out his suitcase while Liam slung his backpack over his shoulder, before Liam paid the fare and the driver was gone. He looked up at the building, a sense of foreboding growing within him. He’d never felt this uneasy before, coming back home. But he couldn't help it.

He grabbed the handle of his suitcase, slowly making his way into the building, taking the elevator up to his floor. He fished his key out of his pocket, sliding it into the lock and pushing the door open. He sighed at the familiar sight of his apartment, the dim light of the afternoon sun filtering in through his open curtains. He kicked the door shut behind him, walking into the living area.

He left his suitcase standing next to the couch, before falling into the plush cushions, letting out a heavy sigh. It was hard being back, knowing that Theo was just next door. Knowing that, at any minute, he would probably hear Theo coming home with some one night stand. He shook his head, easing himself off of the couch. He needed to distract himself.

He grabbed his suitcase, rolling it behind him and into his room. He lifted it on to his bed, opening it and letting the contents spill out. He went through the motions, sorting through the fortnights worth of clothes he had packed. He let his mind wander, to his classes, possible assignments, to what Mason and Corey were planning for the little get together they were having before classes started up again.

He was jolted from his thoughts by a light knock on the door. He turned on his heel, thinking of who it could be that wanted to see him. Mason and Corey were busy with Mason’s parents, and Hayden said she’d be at work. The same for Alec.

Liam put down the pair of pants he held, hobbling over to the door. He was hesitant to open it, not sure if he wanted to know who was on the other side. He stood there for a moment, hand gripping the handle tightly. He breathed in slowly, hesitantly letting it out, before he turned the handle, opening the door.

Theo stood on the other side, wearing a pair of sweats and a hoodie, barefoot and holding a wrapped package in one hand. He looked… withdrawn, tired. He had bags under his eyes, like he hadn't slept much, and he shivered, as if he were cold.

“Theo?” Liam asked, looking him over. He seemed to be a mess, his eyes red, hair a mess. What the fuck had happened to him?

“Hey, Liam,” Theo said softly, his voice low, soft. Liam had never heard him sound so… broken. His heart lurched, wanting to hold him. But he stopped himself, the memories of what he had done floating to the surface of his mind.

“What… why are you here Theo?” Liam asked, folding his arms over his chest. “Come to apologise, is that it?”

The words left his mouth harsher than he had expected, and Theo flinched back a little, as if he had been physically hit.

“I… uh… yeah, I did,” Theo said, his voice even lower. “I… I have so much I want to say to you, so much I want to apologise for, and I… I get it if you don't want to hear from me. I know you said you didn’t want to see me again, but… please? Just hear me out?”

Liam made a play of looking like he was thinking it through, nodding his head slightly as if in thought. Finally, he stepped to the side, holding the door open.

“You might as well come inside then. I don't want you catching a cold, even if you are grovelling for forgiveness.”

Theo’s head jerked up in surprise, but he nodded his head, shuffling into Liam’s apartment. Liam closed the door behind him, before following behind him. They got to the kitchen, and Liam pulled himself up and onto the counter, letting his legs dangle over the edge. Theo stood in the middle of the room, the package in his hand seeming like a weight holding him down.

“Well?” Liam asked, arching an eyebrow. “What was it that you wanted to say?”

Theo took in a deep breath, shaking his head. “I… I wanted to apologise, Liam. I know no amount of apologising is going to make up for me being such an asshole. I don't expect you to forgive me. I just wanted to say my piece and leave.”

Liam nodded, and Theo sighed again.

“Look… I just want to say that… I’ve felt guilty about the whole thing from day one. From the moment we went on that date in the aquarium, I just… I couldn't help but feel like I was being an arse. You were so much better than me, and I didn’t deserve you. You deserve someone so much better than me. And… I just… I’m sorry, Liam. I really am. I know nothing will make up for what I did, so if… if you really want, I’ll leave you alone from now.”

Liam could see the sincerity in Theo’s eyes, the way his shoulders were slumped, the way he held himself differently. He really meant his words.

“I want to… ask you something,” Liam said after a moment of silence.

“Anything,” Theo said, nodding his head. “Whatever you ask, I’ll answer.”

“Why did you do it?” Liam asked, shaking his head. “Why did you ask me out because of a bet? And why me?”

Theo stood there, thinking over his thoughts. They were good questions, or so Liam thought, and ones he wanted the answers to. He felt justified in wanting answers, and he had hundreds more that he wanted to ask.

When Theo opened his mouth, he wasn't expecting the answer he got.

“I… I’ve had a crush on you for… ages. I couldn’t help it. You were always so cute, but… you never seemed interested. And so… I figured if I ignored you, was an asshole to you, my crush on you would fade. But it didn't work. And then you threatened to get me evicted, and I thought I’d lost interest. But… Josh, one of my oldest friends… he made me play a game of beer pong with him. And… I lost. He was the one to get me to ask you out on a date.”

“And that’s meant to make me feel so much better, isn't it?” Liam asked, shoulders slumped.

“Hey, I am a full-grown adult. Yes, I know what I did was a shitty thing. But I knew I could just say no, and that would be that. But I couldn't deny that I was interested in you, even if it was just physically. I just didn't think it was a good enough reason to ask you out, especially since I’d been such an asshole to you in the past.”

Liam's head shot up, peering over to Theo. “You… you were interested in me?”

“Yes. Liam, fucking yes,” Theo said, throwing his hands up. “How could I not be? You are so fucking good-looking, even a blind priest would be able to tell. I just didn't think it was enough of an excuse to ask you out.”

Liam couldn't stifle the flare of hope that burst to life in his chest. He tried his best, but the more Theo talked, the stronger it grew.

“When Josh made the bet, he did it for two reasons. Yes, he was sick of you complaining about the parties, but… he wanted me to be happy. I’d been in and out of relationships that just… ended horribly. He knew about my crush on you and since I wasn't going to do anything about it, he did.”

“You… you really mean that?” Liam asked, unable to stop the hope filling his voice.

“Yes, I do,” Theo said, his voice quiet. He held the package in his hands, as if in reverence. “I… I was planning on telling you the night of the game. I was going to tell you while we were out for dinner, give you the break to think things over. And… well, if after the break, you wanted nothing to do with me, I would be fine with your decision. But…”

“But then Matt stepped in, and stopped you from doing that?” Liam asked, nodding his head.

“Yeah, he did,” Theo said. He ran a hand over his face, and letting out another heavy sigh. “Look, I get it. What I did was shitty, and there was no excuse. I just… I couldn't bring it up to you, not after the way things were going. You were so happy, the both of us were. And I knew bringing it up would ruin all that.”

He stepped forward, placing the package on the counter beside Liam. He looked up, smiling softly.

“I just… consider this my pebble,” he said, turning away from Liam.

“Your… pebble?” Liam asked. “Theo, wait. What do you mean?”

“Well… when penguins find the one they want to spend the rest of their lives with, they gift them with a pebble,” Theo said, not turning to face Liam. “They’ll search for the perfect pebble, before presenting it to the one they love. I… I love you, Liam. And it took you hating me to realise that.”

Liam watched him as he wiped his face, before he began walking again. Before Liam could think, he jumped off the counter, walking forward and wrapping his arms around Theo’s torso. He froze as Liam buried his face in the middle of his back.

“Please… don't… don't go,” Liam said, tears leaving paths down his cheeks. “I… I want to explain something.”

Theo turned in Liam’s hold, gripping Liam’s arms tightly. “What do you want to tell me Li?”

Liam sighed, looking off to the side. How could he word this?

“Did I ever tell you about Brett?” Liam asked in a shaky voice.

Theo’s grip on his arms tightened, before he relaxed slightly. Liam looked at him questioningly, surprised to see Theo was angry.

“I… I know what he did to you,” Theo said, his eyes hard like steel. “Corey told me what he did… or, tried to do. You should never have had to go through that.”

Liam smiled softly, and it seemed to disarm Theo.

“Of course he told you,” he said, a soft laugh to his voice. “I… suppose it makes this a little easier to say then.” He took a deep breath in, holding it for a moment, before letting it out. “Theo… you are the first person to make me feel safe… truly safe, since Brett.”

Theo shook his head, trying to step back. “You… you don't mean that, do you?”

Liam nodded, his smile widening. “Yes, yes I do,” he said. “I… I wanted to push you away, the moment I found out about the bet. I wanted to hate you… but I couldn't . Even before now, I wanted you back. I just… I couldn't bring myself to do it.”

Liam watched as a smile slowly twitched at the corners of his lips, quickly broadening as Theo thought it over.

“You… you really mean that?” Theo asked, and Liam nodded once again. “Can… can I kiss you, Liam?”

“I thought you'd never ask,” Liam said, before surging forward.

His lips locked with Theo’s in a desperate kiss, one filled with urgency and need. They both cried as they kissed, yet happy too. Liam felt like his chest was going to burst with how happy he was, with the way Theo held him tightly in his arms. He loved feeling like this, like he was safe in those arms, and it made the need to kiss Theo grow even more.

Theo was the first to pull back, the smile on his lips brightening Liam’s day.

“Fuck me, I never thought I’d get to do that again,” Theo said.

Liam shook his head, laughing. He leaned his head against Theo’s shoulder, pressing a soft kiss to it.

“I missed you,” Liam said softly. “As stupid as it sounds, I really did miss you.”

“I missed you too Li,” Theo said, pressing a kiss to the side of his head. “You mean more to me than you know. And… and I couldn't bear to know that I’d hurt you.”

“I want to say that it’s okay, but it’s not,” Liam said softly, pulling back. He looked Theo in the eyes, searching for something. “You really meant what you said? About… about you liking me? Finding me attractive? You… you really do love me?”

Theo nodded his head vigorously. “Liam, I am so, so sorry for having hurt you. And you’re right, this doesn't make everything okay. And I want to prove to you that I really meant what I said, both now and what I’ve said over the past few months.”

He let go of Liam’s arms, walking over to the counter and picking up the package he’d set down. He held it out to Liam, offering it to him.

“Go on, I want you to have this,” he said, almost nervously. “It… it isn't much. But… I thought you would like it.”

Liam took the package from him hesitantly, turning it around in his hands. It was a book, that much he could tell just by the size of it. A hefty, hardcover book, by the feel of it.

He turned it around, finding where Theo had taped down the sides, wedging his thumb underneath and tearing it off. He pulled the wrapping aside, turning the book over in his hands. It was a copy of The Knife of Dreams, the eleventh book in the Wheel of Time series. What looked to be blue marble made up the cover art, with a golden snake in the sign of an infinity weaving through the spokes of a wheel.

“Theo… I know you mean well, but I already have a copy of this,” Liam said, looking up at Theo.

He nodded, smiling softly. “I know… but, open it.”

Liam arched an eyebrow, but did as he was told, turning the front cover. He let out a gasp as a small envelope fell out, revealing a signature on the title page. Robert Jordan was written in pen in an elegant script, followed by the words To my biggest fan, I hope you enjoy the secrets within.

“It was… my mother’s book,” Theo said softly. “She stopped reading them after that because… well, because he died and all. She didn't like that Sanderson took over finishing it. And… she met Robert Jordan, a couple of weeks before he passed away, and he signed it for her. She wasn't too fussed when I asked if I could give it to you.”

“Theo… you didn't have to do that,” Liam said, a hand covering his mouth. “This… this is so…”

“So… what?” Theo asked, arching an eyebrow.

“Wonderful… amazing… I… can't believe I’m seeing this,” Liam said. “Thank you, Theo.”

“Now open the envelope,” Theo said, his smile growing even wider, if possible.

Liam set the book down on the counter, pulling the envelope over to him. He quickly opened it, up ending the contents into the palm of his hand.

Six tickets fell out. Liam turned them over in his hand, reading what they were for.

“You… you got me tickets for Tarantino Fest?” Liam asked, looking up at Theo.

Theo nodded, smiling. “I… got them for the six of us. You and me, Corey and Mason, and Hayden and Tracey.”

“But… how did you know I wanted to go?” Liam asked, looking back down at the tickets.

“Well… remember that day I met you at work, and Mason apologised for treating me like an ass?” Theo asked, his smile falling slightly.

“Yeah, I do,” Liam said with a nod.

“Well, I walked in just as Mason brought it up,” Theo said. “I asked him what the convention was about, and he said it was to ‘celebrate Tarantino films’. So… after you and I watched Pulp Fiction with Mason, I went and bought us all tickets.”

“You… you didn't have to,” Liam said, looking up at Theo. “Fuck, you are amazing.”

“I try my best,” Theo said, shrugging his shoulders.

Liam placed the tickets down on the counter, before pulling Theo in for a hug.

“You didn't have to do that. You didn't have to do anything, especially since you didn't know how I was going to react,” Liam said softly. “But thank you.”

“It’s okay,” Theo said, shrugging his shoulders. “Even… even if you weren't going to take me back, I was going to give them to you anyway.”

“Hey, Theo,” Liam said softly, gripping his wrists in his hands. “Why… why don't we watch another Tarantino movie then?”

“You… you want me to hang around?” Theo asked.

“Yes, silly. Sure, you still have a lot of work to make up for what you did, but… you’re still my boyfriend, right?” Liam asked.

“Uh… I… figured, after what you said after the game…” Theo said softly, standing still. “I thought you wouldn't want to be my boyfriend again.”

Liam shook his head, a fond smile on his face. “Didn't that kiss tell you anything? Of course I still want to be your boyfriend.”

Theo smiled, and Liam couldn't help but smile back.

“Now, I can’t have my boyfriend not be up to date with Tarantino knowledge, can I?” Liam asked, pulling him to the couch. “Besides, you liked Pulp Fiction. I’m sure you’ll like the rest of his stuff.”

“So what are we going to watch then?” Theo asked, sitting down on the couch.

“Well… what piques your interest more, a Western murder mystery, or two convoluted, slightly-botched attempts on Hitler’s life?”

“Ah… let’s go with the second one” Theo said.

Liam nodded, pulling the DVD off of the rack and inserting the disc into the PlayStation. He walked back over to the couch, sitting down beside Theo, leaning into his side. He smiled softly as Theo wrapped an arm around his shoulder as he started the movie up.

As the opening credits starred rolling, he looked up at Theo, who smiled down at him. He smiled back, before turning his attention back to the TV.

For the first time in two weeks, he could safely say that he finally felt safe again.


	9. Epilogue

" alt="Epilogue" />

“No, no. He is not welcome here,” Mason said the moment he opened the door. He reached a hand out, pulling Liam inside before quickly shutting the door.

“Hey, that wasn't very nice,” Liam began, before Mason cut him off.

“No, what I don't understand is why you’re back with him,” Mason said, poking Liam in the chest. “That asshole broke your heart, or are you forgetting that?”

“That asshole can still hear you, you know,” Theo called through the door.

“We’re here to explain something,” Liam said. “And… well, I figured you won’t like it.”

“Fine,” Mason seethed, storming off further into the apartment.

Liam watched him storm off, sighing, as he opened the door, letting Theo in.

“Sorry,” Liam said, and Theo just shrugged in reply.

They made their way through the apartment, following the sounds of raised voices.

“Did you know about this?” Mason was shouting when Liam and Theo stepped into the living area, pointing an accusing finger at Theo and Liam.

Corey was standing behind the kitchen counter, an annoyed look on his face. But when he turned to look at the two of them, his face lit up in a bright smile.

“I knew you two would come to your senses,” he said, ignoring the squawk of outrage from Mason. “I’m guessing you two talked things out?”

“You knew?” Mason asked again, looking between the three of them.

“I wanted to hear Theo’s side of things,” Corey said, shrugging his shoulders. “And… well, he made a pretty convincing case.”

“And that was?” Mason asked, turning towards Theo and Liam.

Liam stepped to the side, pointing at Theo. “You’re the one doing the speaking dude. You’re the one that needs to convince him.”

Theo sighed, but nodded, while Liam walked over to the fridge and pulled out a bottle of juice as Theo began talking. He ignored most of it, the words similar to what Theo had told him two days ago. He watched Mason instead, gauging his reaction. His anger deflated the more Theo spoke, before he was slumped over at the counter.

“You… you really do love him, don't you?” he asked, looking at Liam.

Liam nodded his head. “Yeah, I really do.”

Mason sighed, shaking his head. “I don't like it… but, I’m willing to give you one more chance, Theo. One more chance to prove yourself worthy of being Liam’s boyfriend.”

“Hey, he’s already proven that to me,” Liam said, crossing his arms over his chest. “I’m the only one he needs to prove anything to. And while he still has a lot to make up for, he’s still proven that point.”

Corey spoke up next, looking at Liam. “Is that why you’re so early? Cause you wanted to tell us this before Hayden and Tracey got here?”

“Well...kinda,” Liam said. He reached into the pocket of his jacket, pulling out two of the tickets Theo had given him. “We wanted to give you these, too.”

He placed them on the counter, sliding them over to Mason. Mason stared at the tickets for a moment, before looking up at Liam, mouth agape.

“How… how did you get these?”

“I got them, actually,” Theo said, piping up.

“But… how? By the time I had the money for them, they were all sold out,” Mason asked.

“Well… I bought them the night I asked about them” Theo said. “I had the money… so I just went for it. I just didn't say anything since it was meant to be a Christmas present for… everyone.”

“Everyone?” Corey asked.

“I got six tickets,” Theo said. He scratched the back of his neck nervously, a shy smile on his face. “I… remember you saying something about how all five of you were fans of Tarantino and his films. So… I figured I might as well get tickets for everyone.”

“Fuck... “ Mason said, drawing the word out. “I… you know what… scratch what I said earlier. You are better than I thought. Still an asshole, but much better than I thought.”

“Mason…” Liam began. But Mason cut him off.

“No, I mean it. I’m not apologising, cause I don't feel like I owe you one… no offense,” he said, looking pointedly at Theo.

“None taken,” Theo said.

Mason nodded, before continuing. “But… this is kinda helping him prove that he is better than I thought.”

“Thanks Mason,” Theo said, the shy smile of his still in place. “I… I really am sorry, for everything. I just… hope that you can forgive me, in the future.”

“Also… we’re going on a date before the get together,” Liam said. “Theo’s idea, actually. We wanted to come here first so… it wasn't such a shock when we show up later.”

“That’s… that’s good,” Mason said, nodding. “You’re still going to be here though, right?”

“Yeah, we will be. Might be a little late, but it’s better than nothing,” Liam said, shrugging.

“Uh… just so you know...in case you didn't,” Theo said, pointing to the tickets. “When I bought those, it was highly suggested that we dress up as characters from his movies. There’s meant to be contests and everything based on scenes from the movies, and you can only compete if you’re dressed up.”

“Oh, that sounds awesome,” Corey said, smiling broadly. “Have you two thought of anything yet?”

“We have… still trying to sort things out, but yes, we think we have decided,” Liam said, smiling.

“Ooh, do tell,” Mason said.

“Oh no. That is going to be a surprise,” Liam said. He looked at his watch, suddenly looking up at Theo. “We’re almost late, Theo. We need to go.”

“Okay,” Theo said, before turning to the others. “Thanks for letting me speak my mind. We’ll be back later.”

“See you guys. Have fun,” they both said, waving, as Liam dragged Theo out of the door.

***

The event hall was packed. There was no question about it. Lines a mile long, people milling about, dressed up as people from Tarantino’s films. Liam couldn't help but stop and take a photo every five seconds, laughing and smiling as everyone agreed to his requests.

Dozens of Bride’s from Kill Bill, along with many O-Ren’s, Elle Driver’s and even the titular Bill himself. Many more characters from Inglorious Basterds, Jackie Brown, The Hateful Eight… the assortment of people dressed up was seemingly never ending.

“Was this really necessary,” Theo asked, adjusting the tie he wore. “This is… a little uncomfortable.”

Liam arched an eyebrow at Theo, glancing at him from the corner of his eye. “You’re telling me? These pants feel like they’re painted on.”

Theo eyed Liam up and down, a suggestive smirk gracing his lips. “Oh, I know. It’s very good to look at.”

Liam blushed, running his fingers through his hair. His normally dark blond locks had been dyed black for the costume, and it had turned out better than he’d expected. The suit pants he wore, while tight, were still comfortable, and the plain white shirt was loose enough to hide his curves.

“Hey, it’s going to be alright,” Theo said, wrapping Liam in a hug from behind. “Everyone is going to have fun.”

“I know they will,” Liam said, smiling. He looked down at his phone, checking the time. “The others should be here by now.”

As if on cue, Liam noticed Mason and Corey further down the corridor, walking towards them. Mason was dressed in a full cowboy get up, a worn Stetson on his head, long coat flapping around his knees. His boots clicked audibly over the hustle of the crowd, drawing attention to him. Corey, beside him, was dressed in jeans and a tight, white t shirt, a fake katana strapped to his back. Liam couldn't help but think they looked the spitting image of Major Marquis Warren and Butch Coolidge.

Beside them were Hayden and Tracey, and Liam couldn't help but smile broadly at the two of them. Hayden wore a bright yellow jumpsuit, a replica katana strapped across her back and a motorbike helmet held under one arm. Tracey, meanwhile, wore a simple nurse’s uniform, with high heels, and an eye patch over one eye with a red cross stitched into it.

“Fucking hell, you guys look amazing,” Liam said once the four of them had gotten within earshot. “Fuck, I could almost confuse you for the real thing.”

“Thank you, Liam,” Tracey said, blushing slightly. “It means a lot.”

“I see you found out about Hayden's little… crush on Elle,” Liam said with a smirk, and this time Hayden blushed.

“It wasn't that hard when Corey messaged me, telling me to dress up as her,” Tracey said, grinning from ear to ear. “He was… very specific, actually. Said to go with this costume. I wasn't sure why until I got changed and Hayden just… froze.”

Everyone laughed, as Hayden continued to blush furiously, but a smile graced her lips.

“Hey, if it helps, I couldn't keep my hands off of Liam once he got dressed up,” Theo said in a mock whisper. Now it was time for Liam to blush as everyone else laughed.

“I’m not surprised,” Corey said, still chuckling. “He looks… irresistible.”

“Hey, that’s my best friend you’re talking about,” Mason mock yelled, at the same time Theo said “That’s my boyfriend.”

They all froze, before bursting into laughter again.

“Come on, it’s time to go in, I think,” Liam said. He fished around in his pocket, pulling out his ticket.

Everyone nodded in agreement, pulling out their tickets and following Liam up to the entrance. They got their tickets punched, before they were let into the venue.

It was a lot bigger than Liam was expecting. The sounds of gunshots echoed through loud speakers, along with the sounds of fighting, swords clanging together, fists coming into contact with flesh. Liam strained to look over the heads of the crowd, groaning when he couldn't see much.

“I think… they have screenings for some of the movies,” Theo said, looking over the crowd for Liam. “They have areas blocked off with curtains, see?”

Liam followed Theo’s finger, noticing the large blackout curtains hanging from the ceiling.

“That… makes a lot of sense,” Liam said, nodding. He turned around, noticing that he and Theo were suddenly alone. “Well, the others are gone.”

“Not surprised there,” Theo said. “There’s a lot going on, and I have no idea what the fuck is happening.”

Liam nodded, looking around. He found a small stand, manned by one of the staff hosting the event. He walked over, smiling broadly.

“Sorry to be a pain, but do you have a map or something? We don't know where to start,” Liam asked.

“Of course we have some maps,” the man said, rummaging under the table. He passed two over to Liam with a smile. “Here you go. They also have a list of the competitions that you can attend, if you’re in costume.” The man paused, eyeing Liam up and down. “Are you… meant to be a genderbent Mia Wallace?” He looked over to Theo, his eyes widening. “If I’m right, then you’re meant to be Vincent Vega, yes?”

Liam and Theo both nodded.

“Bingo. I thought it looked familiar,” the man said, clapping his hands together. “Well, if you’re interested, there is a dance competition, where all the Vincent’s and Mia’s get up on stage and dance along to some music, like in Pulp Fiction. I think they even use the same song...by Chuck Berry. You can always sign up for it, if you want?”

Liam looked up to Theo, an eyebrow arched. “What do you say, Theo? Wanna give it a try?”

“I mean… we might as well. We dressed up so we could participate in that kind of thing” Theo said, shrugging.

“Okay, well… can I have one of your maps?” the man asked, holding a hand out. Liam handed it over, and he unfolded it, spreading it out on the table. “Okay, so we’re here,” he said, pointing to a small square close to the entrance. “The competition is held over here.” He pointed to a large, circular area on the map. “Sign-ups are right next to it.”

Liam nodded, thanking the man. He took the map back, before both he and Theo started walking through the crowds.

They walked through the crowds, arm in arm, admiring the stands that had been set up. They were stopped many times by people asking to take photos of the two of them, and it took them a lot longer to get to the sign-ups than they thought. Once there, it didn't take long before they were signed up, and given a time slot for when they were to perform.

“So… we have about an hour till we have to be back here,” Theo said, looking around the area. “But… is there anything specific you wanted to do while we wait?”

“I… think there was meant to be a sword fighting competition. Between everyone dressed as The Bride.”

“The… Bride?” Theo asked, arching an eyebrow.

“Okay, you know what, when we get back home, we are so watching Kill Bill,” Liam said, pulling Theo along. “They are my favourites by far, and you totally need to see them.”

“Wait… is that who Hayden was dressed as?” Theo asked. Liam nodded as he pulled Theo along, finding the area where the mock fights were meant to take place. “That explains that then. And… who was Tracey dressed as? You said she was dressed as Elle, but I don't know who that is.”

“Elle Driver was one of The Bride’s targets in the Kill Bill movies,” Liam said, weaving through the crowd. “Hayden… made a comment about thinking Elle was hot, so we convinced Tracey to dress up as her.”

“Ah, right” Theo said with a nod.

They came to a stop outside of a fenced off area, the floor padded with mats. A group of ten women, Hayden included, were standing in a circle, their prop katanas held out as they all got into various fighting stances, wearing padding and helmets.

A buzzer went off and they pounced as one, their replica swords clashing with loud clacks. Two fell to the ground in defeat as Hayden stabbed them in the gut, before a third fell as her sword smacked another in the side of the head. Someone caught Hayden by surprise, slicing her in the back, and she fell to the ground in a heap.

The others kept it up as the growing crowd continued to cheer. When one was left standing, the winner was announced, and everyone returned their padding and wooden swords to the organiser. Hayden walked over to the two of them, smiling broadly.

“That was fun,” she said, a laugh to her voice. “I want to do it again.”

“I’m not gonna lie, you looked hot doing it,” they heard someone say. Liam turned, watching Tracey come over and wrap Hayden in a hug. She pressed a kiss to her lips, before turning to Liam and Theo, an arm still wrapped around Hayden’s waist. “Well, have you two signed up for anything?”

“We have,” Theo said. “We’re doing Jack Rabbit Slim’s Twist contest, over down the other end. We have…” he checked the time, nodding. “We have about forty minutes till we have to be up.”

“Well, how about we go and get a bite to eat? We might be able to find where Mason and Corey have gone off to,” Hayden suggested.

They all agreed, and together, went searching for somewhere to get food. They found a doorway leading outside, where a number of food trucks had been set up, with lines already snaking their way through the area.

“Well, I think we know where Mason and Corey are,” Theo said, pointing over to a small crowd.

Most of the people out here were not dressed up, but it seemed like they had all swarmed Mason and Corey, the two of them posing with anyone that asked for a photo.

“Aw, look at that. Mason is finally in his element,” Liam said, walking over to the crowd. His voice was just loud enough that it could be heard over the crowd, and their heads turned to the four of them.

“He really is,” Corey said in reply, smiling for another camera, before excusing himself. “So, gotten up to much?”

“No, not really,” Liam said. “We signed up for the dance competition. And we watched Hayden have a mock sword fight. But now we’re getting food.”

“Food sounds good,” Mason said, nodding. “Is there anything you have in mind?”

“Ah… maybe just some hot chips,” Liam said, looking up at Theo. “I’m hungry, but not too hungry.”

“No, I get you,” Theo said, nodding. “Let’s go over there, the line is shorter.”

The six of them walked over the food truck with the smallest line, pulling out money and change to pay for their food. It took longer than they were expecting, and by the time they had gotten their food and eaten it, Theo and Liam only had twenty minutes before their time slot.

“Come on. We better head back inside. It’ll take a bit before we actually get there,” Theo said.

“Yeah, you’re right,” Liam said, nodding his head. “Are you guys coming?”

He turned to face the other four, and they all nodded in agreement.

“Getting the chance to watch you dance? Yeah, I’d love to see that,” Mason said, smiling broadly.

They all laughed as they made their way back inside, walking and weaving through the crowds of people. They were stopped a few times by people who wanted photos, but for the most part, it was a smooth walk to the area.

“So… what are the rules?” Theo asked, coming to a stop in the middle of the crowd.

“Ah… we have the length of the song to dance, and impress the judges,” Liam said. He looked up to the stage, watching the people already dancing. “I… don't think it needs to be close to the movie, but it helps.”

Theo nodded. “That’s good. I wouldn’t know how that dance goes anyway.”

“I do,” Liam said, shrugging when Theo gave him a pointed look. “What? I had way too much time on my hands while in high school, and watched all these movies back to back. I was a nerd…”

“Yeah, but you’re my nerd now,” Theo said, a fond smile on his face.

Liam leaned up, pressing a soft kiss to the corner of Theo’s mouth.

“That I am,” he said with a smirk.

Theo couldn't keep the grin off his face as they watch the next two dances. Liam watched intently, but not too keen on his hopes. His knee hadn't been playing up today, thankfully, but it would be a shame if it started to do so just before their time on stage. Or, even worse, while they were on stage.

The final dance before their time slot finished to a round of applause, the announcer talking quietly with the judges, before he stepped up to the microphone.

“Please welcome our next contestants, Theo and Liam, onto the stage,” the man called. He held a hand out to welcome them on stage as they climbed the stairs. Liam couldn't help but blush as their group of friends cheered them on, louder than the rest of the crowd.

“Now, I’m sure you know the rules. You have until the song finishes to dance to impress the judges. Since you two are the final dance, we’ll get you to stay on stage while we get everyone else up and announce the winner,” the man said. Both Liam and Theo nodded, before he walked off stage.

There was a tense silence on stage for a moment as they slipped their shoes off, moving to stand across from each other in the centre of the stage. And then the music started, notes played on an old guitar, and a tinny piano, sounding out over the loudspeakers, before they started dancing.

Liam didn't focus on what he did, really. He let the music flow through him, slowly dancing along to it, unable to keep a straight face as he watched Theo dancing in front of him. It wasn't really dancing, per se, more twisting their hips and knees to the music. Liam kept his eyes on Theo, his ears trained on the music, keeping everything else unfocused. The cheering of the crowd, hollering of their friends, spotlights and flashing of cameras and phones all drowned out into the background as they began to move around each other. Their dancing became more and more erratic, moving to the sound of the music, the cheering and applause growing loud enough that it started to break Liam’s focus.

Before he knew it, the song was winding down, and their dancing moved to match it, until silence filled the air and their movements stilled. Liam’s chest was heaving, sweat pooling on his brow, and he could see that Theo had exerted himself too. The crowd burst into applause once again, and without thinking, Liam crossed the stage, pulling Theo into a hug and kissing him firmly on the lips.

“Fuck, you looked so good dancing like that,” Liam muttered to Theo, his lips ghosting across his ear.

“You did too, Li,” Theo said. He squeezed him tightly before letting Liam go, a broad smile on his face.

Theo kept an arm around Liam’s shoulders as the announcer conversed with the judges, and the other contestants climbed onto the stage. They all lined up, waiting excitedly for the news.

The announcer returned a few moments later, carrying a trophy in one hand and an envelope in the other. A hushed silence fell over the gathered crowd and the contestants as he cleared his throat, holding the microphone up to his mouth.

“Ladies and Gentlemen. I am pleased to announce that the winner of Jack Rabbit Slim’s Twist contest is… by a large margin… Theo and Liam.”

The crowd burst into applause as Liam and Theo stepped forward, shaking hands with the announcer and accepting their trophy. Liam couldn't help but laugh as he noticed Mason and Corey exchanging money, shaking his head.

Seeing that, he couldn't help but let his thoughts wander to the bet Theo had lost, a little less than three months ago. Sure, things had been rough when he found out, but they’d worked through those issues. They were together now, Liam felt safe for what felt like the first time in a while, and they were both happy.

He couldn't help but think that he really was a winner. Not just here and now, with the two of them dressed up as Vincent and Mia, but every moment he was with Theo. Cause being with Theo felt like he’d won something big, something he’d never known he’d wanted, never known he’d missed. But now that he had it, now that he was the winner, he was never going to let that go.


End file.
